Teenager cracks govt's $84m porn filter

Teenager cracks govt's $84m porn filter

news.ninemsn.com.au

A 16-year-old schoolboy has cracked the federal government's $84-million internet porn filter.

Tom Wood, a Year 10 student, told News Ltd newspapers it took him about 30 minutes to break through the government's new filter, released on Tuesday.

(visit the link for the full news article)

I just love it when the censors get what they deserve!

news.ninemsn.com.au
(visit the link for the full news article)

Family First senator Steve Fielding, a cyber safety campaigner, said cracking the software highlighted the need for compulsory filtering by internet providers.

"You need both. You need it at the ISP and at the PC level," Senator Fielding said. "The Government has not listened to common sense and it leaves kids exposed."

Originally posted by WatchNLearn

I just love it when the censors get what they deserve!

The censors aren't getting what they deserve. :shk: They are just using this as an example to say that the ISP's have to step in and help censor content, as well as the pc owners. This looks like it's only going to help big brother out, a sad time indeed.

Ug... that's what America Online (Australia Online?) and other garbage private network providers are for.

Real ISPs are to provide a connection to the public network. No firewalling. No censoring. No content filtering or traffic limiting. I pay for a connection to the Internet and that's exactly what I expect to receive.

Just another push towards regulation of the Internet. Won't someone please think of the children?!

Haha whoever wrote that article is a moron because this story has "yeah right" written all over it.

First of all no one is going to spend 84 million dollars solely on a porn filter!

Second, I'm sure the government probably has software and programs that actually have as much money invested into their creation, and I guarantee you that no 16 year old kid is going to click around for half an hour and magically crack it.

Some writers shouldn't be allowed to own a keyboard :shk:.

You might be surprised how easily some "high-end" security softwares can be cracked.

There is always something the programmers overlooked or underestimated.

Originally posted by fweshcawfee
First of all no one is going to spend 84 million dollars solely on a porn filter!

An ISP wide content filtering system would cost about that much. I betcha China spends billions on it's Great Firewall.

Second, I'm sure the government probably has software and programs that actually have as much money invested into their creation, and I guarantee you that no 16 year old kid is going to click around for half an hour and magically crack it.

You do know that the majority of cracks breaking DVD encryption comes from some smart-ass teenager with too much time on his hands(he's actually in his early 20s now, but he was 15 or 16 when he broke AACS or something like that). If something can be cracked it will be cracked by some bored teenager. It's why all content protection systems are flawed. There will always be a way around them if someone has the time and patience to tinker. That is what Hacking is all about.

Originally posted by fweshcawfee
Second, I'm sure the government probably has software and programs that actually have as much money invested into their creation, and I guarantee you that no 16 year old kid is going to click around for half an hour and magically crack it.

Some writers shouldn't be allowed to own a keyboard :shk:.

Do you know how easy it is to actually crack and hack into stuff, probably not, because I am guessing your not a 16 year old. Now I will admit, this does seem a little fishy, if he did do it, he sure didnt do it in half an hour, hacker on steroides or not. You would be very surprised what a 16 year old kid has knowledge of, and I am offended by your post.

Oh don't be offended, good grief have a cookie for the love of God and don't take every generic comment you hear as a personal insult.

Originally posted by fweshcawfee
Oh don't be offended, good grief have a cookie for the love of God and don't take every generic comment you hear as a personal insult.

I dont take it as a personal insult at all, I was just offended by it, me, being a 16 year old kid, tend to get told I cant do all kinds of things, just because of my age, just leave age out of it, has nothing to do with anything, im sure there are all kinds of things a 16 year old can do that you cant, and all kinds of things you can do that a 16 year old cant. and dont patronize me with your sarcasm and cookies.

Pshkwamy believe it or not, I find it a bit offensive that you are so offended by what I said and are making such a big deal out of what was only generic remarks in specific regards to the content of the article.

You say you're 16 yourself so tell me sir, do you think you can hack an 80+ million dollar software program, much less do it in 30 minutes? If not then don't feel bad because I couldn't either and neither could anyone else in this thread or in this entire forum for that matter, regardless of what their age is. Anyone who thinks they can, by all means knock yourself out in the effort.

Good for him !!!

And, best line in the article :

Unfortunately, no single measure can protect children from online harm and ... traditional parenting skills have never been more important."

From OP

Parents allow children to break rules.

Regards,
Lex

reply to post by fweshcawfee


Well I apologize for offending you. And yes, I do believe I could, but not in 30 minutes, if you read back, I did agree with you on that point, if the kid had gone to some internet security courses, then maybe he could have, a friend of mine took some internet security courses, just so he could learn to break all kinds of security, its really not that hard to learn, but this kid doing it in 30 minutes, he is lieing.

Originally posted by fweshcawfee
If not then don't feel bad because I couldn't either and neither could anyone else in this thread or in this entire forum for that matter, regardless of what their age is.

Obviously you couldn't.

But I assure you, bucko, you have grossly underestimated the membership here.

If you weren't so ignorant of such things, you might just realize that yes... it is indeed possible, if not likely that a mere 16 year old was able to hack a multimillion dollar piece of software.

When I was 14 I was quickly able to circumvent a rather expensive Windows access restriction program. I forget the name, but it was on Windows 3.1. I hacked it in about 10 minutes. It was pretty easy... Borland required higher system access so it was just a matter of using it to launch a debugger to kill progman so I could get a prompt and then pull the security inits out of the ini files and restart Windows, restriction-free.

It has not been detailed what method the kid used, but I would bet high dollar it was something incredibly mundane and simple. Something the programmers overlooked because it was something they didn't think could possibly be a security flaw.

The fault is always human.

[edit on 27-8-2007 by apc]

Ok guys, seriously now, it's getting so deep in here that I can't wade through this crap with chest waders on. Let's call a truce because I don't think I can laugh anymore tonight without risking a sore throat tomorrow.

I realize that you're both super computer genius's and could easily penetrate even the most complex government computer systems in existence. I'm sincerely apologetic for ever doubting your supreme competence at hacking, cracking and all that other wonderful good stuff.

In purest admiration I do bow in respect to the blinding glare of your pearly white brains .

reply to post by fweshcawfee


Wow, i thought you would actually drop it, you know, calling a truce and everything, maybe read a book or search around on the endless internet and you might learn just how easy it is.

But seriously, back on topic.

reply to post by pshkwamy


Books? Internet? Who needs that stuff when you can watch TV?! Just the other night I was watching an infomercial on TV for "Hacking multi-million dollar systems in 30 minutes or less", fascinating stuff!! These two guys who call themselves the delusional egomaniacs, put this awesome system together man, just awesome, I'm not even kidding.

I mean, this complete hacking system comes with the works: cd's, dvd's, instruction manuals, even a little a keychain that says "Script Kiddie". It's a little expensive though, to buy the complete program costs $99.95 plus shipping. I don't know if I should buy it but I really want it, what do you think? Is it worth it?

Oh and it does come with a guarantee in writing. If after using this program, you can't hack any of the world's 80+ million dollar computer systems in less than an hour, you get a FULL refund. Dude they'll even refund your shipping! The shipping man, the shipping! Do you know how few people will actually refund the shipping!?!?

Originally posted by fweshcawfee
reply to post by pshkwamy

 

Books? Internet? Who needs that stuff when you can watch TV?! Just the other night I was watching an infomercial on TV for "Hacking multi-million dollar systems in 30 minutes or less", fascinating stuff!!

Ok, we got a *SNIP* on our hands. Now to dispel some myths.

Myth One, teenagers know nothing, are irresponsible, disobedient, and can't do anything or be trusted with anything except the most base and low paying jobs such as burger flipper. You can thank the educational system, schools, and teachers for promoting this myth. They are capable of much, much more than you think. We as a society don't even try to give them credit or the responsibility we give to even less deserving adults.

www.hslda.org..." target="_blank" class="postlink">Myth Teen Brain

Myth Two, trust all major news sources. MSN is a major news source. Even though they may have stated the facts, that doesn't mean they didn't twist them and/or mis-represent them. They may have even possibly made some of it up. You do remember when CNN actually was found in a down right lie about the Iraq war not too long ago?

Myth three, this teenage hacker could not have done it. The problem is that we don't know where he learned to hack. What you are forgetting is that he could have very well learned from a professional hacker. We don't know if there is one in his family or an adult friend who is a computer geek and knows what he/she is doing, and has the equipment to do so.

If this is the case, he might know all the tricks of the trade so to speak, and might have been able to accomplish this feet in thirty minutes. I have a feeling the news media left out how many times he has tried to hack into the system before. The last time it only took him 30 minutes, but all the minutes from his previous attempts.

Now you have some choices. One to go back to your TV, and bury your head in the sand pretending every thing is peachy keen. Two, deny ignorance, and research some of this stuff. Three, just keep ridiculing everyone in your ignorance.

Which do you choose?

[edit on 29-8-2007 by Mystery_Lady]

------------------------------
Removed personal attack

[edit on 29/8/07 by masqua]

reply to post by Mystery_Lady


That sounds like a personal attack to me and if I were to respond to it with what I'm really thinking, I'd get a warning. So I'll leave it to your imagination what my actual thoughts are about you at this specific point in time.




[edit on 29-8-2007 by fweshcawfee]

Please keep your views on the personality of members to yourselves and stick to the topic instead.