Teenager cracks govt's $84m porn filter

Originally posted by apc
It has not been detailed what method the kid used, but I would bet high dollar it was something incredibly mundane and simple.

In all likelihood that was probably the case. I remember a while back Sony once came up with this really sophisticated and expensive security system to prevent people from ripping audio CDs with their PCs. It had some sort of code built in that just makes it impossible to play those CDs on a computer.

And how did the 12-year-olds circumvent that? Knowing that the scrambling code was embedded in the CDs outer tracks, they used a black felt-tip pen to block out the tracks, physically. It was a beautiful, cheap and effective fix to thousands of dollars of research

But seriously, fweshcawfee, most black-hats are teenagers with too much time on their hands.

Ok please hear me out.

Apparently some people are still under the impression that I think all teenagers are brain dead morons. I never said or even implied anything of the sort, but comments just keep popping up from people who apparently have drawn false conclusions.

What I said in regards to the article is that no 16 year old kid is going to crack an 80+ million dollar software program in half an hour. That's what I said. Because that is my opinion, which I am entitled to express. I also elaborated and said that I don't think a 20, 40 or 60 year old person could do that either! Heck maybe I'm wrong but it's still my opinion.

Here are things I did NOT say that everyone seems to THINK that I said:

1. Teenagers are idiots.
   
2. 16 year olds are idiots.
   
3. No teenager is smart enough to hack or crack.
   
4. No teenager is intelligent enough to break through a porn filter.
   
5. Teenagers are just stupid.
   

I did NOT say any of those things or even imply any of those things. Get it?

Now try this on for my size, it'll blow you away I promise: I freely admit that in my view, today's teenagers seem to be about a hundred times more intelligent and capable than I ever was myself when I was in my teens.

In fact, even at my current age of creeping past the mid-thirties mark, there are a lot of younger people who can make me feel pretty dimwitted. But that's fine with me, it doesn't bother me. Besides, how smart can I expect to be with only a GED education? Of course most people are smarter than me and I don't take an issue with it, I never have.

Unlike SOME people around here, I do not have a self-serving ego that requires me to feel mentally superior to others, that's why you've never seen ME try to shove it down anyone's throat how wonderful and capable I am. I don't like egomaniacs, I tend to find them revolting and that is why I responded with sarcasm toward certain persons in this thread.

So... for anyone else out there who thinks they need to enlighten me about how smart teenagers are, please get a clue and realize that I never tried to say otherwise!

So in the future, instead of jumping to wild conclusions about people, try getting to know them a little bit first. You just might find that your character judging skills are pretty darn far off the mark.

How do I put this without sounding confused or confusing...

I hope that you did not think that I thought that you thought that teenagers are dumb/stupid. Phew, that was hard to articulate. Yeah, anyway, I was just saying, that most "network security experts" or whatever it is hackers like to call themselves are kind of young.

Beside, I'm not a teenager any more, so I was hardly offended

Take a chill pill, have some coffee, the fresh kind from Guatemala

Edit: missed a word, the whole thing sounded even more confusing without it...

[edit on 29-8-2007 by Beachcoma]

reply to post by Beachcoma


Then why did you feel the need to say "But seriously, fweshcawfee, most black-hats are teenagers with too much time on their hands."... You're not as direct and you use more tact than the others but were basically doing the same thing imo.

No worries though.

And hmmm... fwesh cawfee from Guatamala, what an intriguing thought. Is that where you are, do you live there? I'd love to sample different coffees of the world but that could be an expensive hobby and I'm a poor boy.

I don't know why I chose those words, it just flowed out without much thought, really. Ah, no matter, I think we've sorted that out, don't you agree?

Anyway, no I'm not from Guatemala but I do prefer beans picked from there over those from my own country, there's an extra zing to it. I don't know if there's more caffeine in it, but I do know that it's that specific volcanic soil around that area that makes it taste so good. It's all in the soil. We don't have good soil for coffee, but we've got excellent soil for rubber and palm oil, which you can't eat or drink... well you could drink palm oil... but whatever for?

This really cracks me up.

Not only did the government spend a whopping 84 million on this filter, but to boot, when they released a patch for it, the kid cracked that one as well shortly thereafter.

It just goes to show what can be done with technology given the right person has the tools and know-how to get it done.

I wonder if the kid is getting 84 million dollars worth of porn, or if the company that crafted the software is giving any of that 84 mill back to the government as a refund?

reply to post by Beachcoma


Yep I agree .

I don't know anything about coffee actually, I just know I like it. I don't even know where they grow the stuff except that Folgers has that "mountain grown" thingy in it's advertising so I guess they grow on it mountaintops . No clue actually.

Guess I'm getting off topic, make us a new thread about coffee if you want to though .

Your post wasn't ha ha funny, and neither was it intended to be. In the post I responded to, it really sounded like you personally attacked everyone who disagreed with you in this thread.

This is the last I'll mention this.

Thanks Masqua for letting me post that.

Now back on topic. Sometimes I wonder if these highschool kids who can break into these systems should be hired to create a good security program. At least have a contest with a good prize amount to who can create the best security code. The person who wins is the person who created the code in which no one else was able to hack into.

reply to post by Mystery_Lady


Its not uncommon for banks to hire hackers to test or make their security better, I am sure its also not only banks, but thats the only time I ever heard about it.

reply to post by Mystery_Lady


I can practically feel the malice dripping off your words every time you address me and it makes me uncomfortable to no end. The vibes you give off are darker than damnation itself woman so how about exercising some of that Christian humility you illude to in your siggy and get off my back!

Originally posted by Mystery_Lady
At least have a contest with a good prize amount to who can create the best security code.

I've been out of the game for several years, but it used to be quite common for security firms to set up ultra-secure boxes and announce to the hacker community that whoever hacked it would be rewarded with a well-paying network security position. It was really funny when a couple times the winner turned out to be a minor and their parents wouldn't let them relocate.

Looks like contests still go on today... Google "hacker contest". Cash prizes... hmmmm *rubs muzzle*