Exploding pagers and walkie-talkies are a reminder of how easily your devices can be hacked – here’s how to make sure they are safe. - eviltoast
  • jordanlund@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    87
    ·
    2 months ago

    They weren’t “hacked”, they were compromised at the supply chain level. Completely different form of attack.

    There is no security if someone has physical access to the device. In this case, they gained physical access at the supply chain level.

  • Fizz@lemmy.nz
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    38
    ·
    2 months ago

    I wouldn’t call that attack “easy”. If someone wants to go through that much effort to kill me they can save themselves the work and stab me outside pizzahut on Saturday night

  • Zip2@feddit.uk
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    20
    ·
    2 months ago

    Are pagers, walky talkies and other vintage technology particularly at risk?

    If so I’m a bit worried about my theremin, but then I haven’t touched it in years.

  • nyan@lemmy.cafe
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    19
    ·
    2 months ago

    Open up the back of the device and check inside. If you see something that looks like a lump of modeling clay with wires sticking out of it crammed into the corner, your device has been compromised, and you should maybe try to remember whether you bought said device during a visit to Lebanon. After you put it in the middle of an empty driveway with a wall of sandbags around it and call the bomb squad, that is.

    (Trying to associate literal exploding pagers with hacking borders on the surreal.)

    • Imgonnatrythis@sh.itjust.works
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      2
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      2 months ago

      So are we pro right to repair to make it easier to find these or anti-RTP to makenit more difficult to insert these?

    • yesman@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      1
      ·
      2 months ago

      The individual explosives were probably 15 or 20 grams of material that could be disguised as part of the case, components, or battery. Plastic explosives can be molded, painted, and wired to resemble almost anything.

      IDK for sure, it could be as you describe, but I doubt it because the pagers were in place for months and many of them were likely disassembled/repaired in that time.

  • MangoPenguin@lemmy.blahaj.zone
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    12
    ·
    2 months ago

    The amount of articles and discussion assuming these devices were hacked is insane.

    They weren’t hacked, they were physically opened up and had explosives placed inside.

  • Imgonnatrythis@sh.itjust.works
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    6
    ·
    2 months ago

    Children starving in Sierra Leone are a good reminder to order an extra large soda and side of spicy tater tots at Hardee’s. Here’s how to get $1.50 off your next combo order.