Bela Black Strikes Back

You’ll find this one on most news sites. The photos below are of a road sign that was “hacked” by “hackers” according to the news source. IMHO, it is apparent that the word ‘hacker’ is in need of much refinement.

In this photo provided by Chris Nakashima-Brown, an electronic road sign is seen in Austin, Texas on Monday, Jan. 26, 2009. Two electronic signs intended to warn motorists of construction near the intersection of Lamar and Martin Luther King boulevards were changed yesterday by hackers.

Lets see what it takes to “hack” one of these signs.

DO NOT under any circumstances run around hacking into electronic road signs using the information contained in this guide of how to transmit hilarious messages to passing motorists.

It is as simple as follows.

How many times have you driven by an electronic road sign like one of these?

*** WARNING YOU SHOULD NEVER TAMPER WITH THESE SIGNS ***

All you need to know, who needs a step-by-step process ?

* The access panel on the sign is generally protected by a small lock, but often are left unprotected. Upon opening the access panel you can see the display electronics.
* The black control pad is attached by a curly cord, with a keyboard on the face.
* Programming is as simple as scrolling down the menu selection to “Instant Text”. Type whatever you want to display, Hit Enter to submit. You can now either throw it up on the sign by selecting “Run w/out save” or you can add more pages to it by selecting “Add page”

** HACKER TIPS ** Should it will ask you for a password. Try “DOTS”, the default password.

In all likelihood, the crew will not have changed it. However if they did, never fear. Hold “Control” and “Shift” and while holding, enter “DIPY”. This will reset the sign and reset the password to “DOTS” in the process. You’re in!

Ok, so thats all it takes to ‘hack’ this sign. You run upto it, hopefully its unlocked.. You enter what you want accordingly. How nice. Let the Zombie invasion begin!

** Update – I found the news brief from Austin News

So much for the ‘Avoid scams and fraud deal locally!’ bit.

How about ‘Deal locally and get shot in the face!’?

Here is the latest Craigslist hustle in  Durham, North Carolina.

Edwin Langlois, 21, Jahid Diggs, 17, and Ashton Darielle Byrd, 17 – were put in lock-down on robbery charges in connection with the crimes, which occurred May 5 and May 17.

The Craigslist victims said that they were responding to an online listing for a motorcycle.  The first victim, a 36-year-old Virginia man, said several armed men approached him and looted his ring, a cell phone and $4,000 in cash. The second victim, a 34-year-old man was able to get away after a teenager pointed a gun at him and several shots were fired.

All three criminals are now serving several years in prison for these robberies.

I live and work close to Durham and I can tell you  it  isn’t somewhere you want to get lost, day or night. Its like that wild territory you see on the mini-map during a RPG game, once you enter it your vulnerability goes up by like 25%.

Be smart people, carry a Tech-9 when dealing locally.