Wired recently reported that a Hacker Disabled More Than 100 Cars Remotely. The “Hacker”, not to be confused with Angelina Jolie in the movie of the same name, obtained a password and managed to abuse a no start function in the cars. This time the system in question is canned Webtech Plus, a way for car branches to repo vehicles that haven’t been paid for by making them unusable.

Take this as a warning people. Any machine once connected to a network is inherently vulnerable. You can code tight as you can, run every type of security measure you want in front of and behind the connection. But as so many sci fi writers have written, Information Wants to be free. I would never want a no start feature in my car. You can sell as many OnStar vehicular recovery features that you want but if it means someone can either maliciously or mistakenly cause my car to do things i don’t command it to then i’m against it. This was just the first publicized  example of the system being abused.

Have to say the Pay Technologies little black box under the hood is quite reminiscent of a loan shark coming around to rough you up a bit and “remind you” to pay I wonder how you check to see if this system is installed, or if the car buyers are made aware of it when they purchase?

Tags: abuse, car, connection, hacker, onstar, tech, vehicle recovery, webtech plus

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A Rossum of Robots? How Rossom would that be?

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It seems that my entry into the BotJunkie Collective Noun contest was one of the three finalist. I shall vigorously defend my collective noun as the one true choice. A rossum of robots was chosen for its alliterative possibilities, and its historical context.

Today’s show has a ton of great content stretching from Russian UFO’s to Green tech in Fed Ex. We cover a nifty product sent into the podcast to review as well as a couple other finer articles and points in caffeinated living. Some shows are fueled by caffeine, some only scrape their way out the door because of it. This show is one of those. The network was down for a couple hours the pets are staging a full on revolt and its a dark and stormy night… Snoopy is no where to be found

The CaffiNation is also very proud to take part in the Summer of Podcasts Contest Head on over and check out the shows rocking the codeword this week. Week Four is Underway!Time is winding down to get involved and submit your codewords. make sure you head on over and check out the goodies.

Enjoy the show and Stay Caffeinated!

• Back Channel: All the Cruft, non of the Chaff
  
• Where else can you find me? www.paulrjmuller.com

Geek Cruft

• Rossum of Robots FTW!
• Listener comment on Onstar Privacy, scary
• Podcasting Patent, patently absurb. H/t to Bwana
• In soviet Russia UFO’s loved the open sea, Yarr?
• Russia None too happy with US Supercomputer edge
• Perennial nudge greenpeace Paints HP in a bad but non toxic light
• Therapists signing up for WOW to help addicted… not going to end well
  • Suicide hot line… please hold
• Yarr! Fabled Northwest passage appears, spells our doom
• MS Bings Yahoo
• * Red Shirt Cologne, When teleporting into hostile territory only use the best
• New Space Engine makes it to mars in 39 days, but how does it handle the Kessel Run
• Jump like a kangaroo, die like a human
• Tin foil hat alert. Hacking could lead to Armageddon… not the movie
• Fed Ex, what can green do for you?

Food & Caffeinated Bits

• Coffeetime Cold Brewing System Reviewed
• Boldly open what no man has before
• Defcon brings you COFFEE WARS!
• Affogato? I like it, never knew it had a name
• Get bombed
• This is not the cake you’re looking for

Thanks and Stay Caffeinated People!

Tags: bing, coffee wars, defcon, Microsoft, onstar, Robots, russia, therapists, ufo, Yahoo

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Who watches the watchers? Who owns your content?

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visit www.gotomeeting.com/techpodcasts

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Today’s show has a mix of fun and frowns. While there is a good deal to get excited about concerning our digital future there are also storm clouds on the horizon as they’re always are. The recent Amazon Orwellian kerfuffle has bloomed, some would say mushroom clouded into a larger narrative on the subject of ownership and privacy.

There were so many different takes on privacy and security this week that i decided to devote a huge chunk of the show to covering these stories.

The CaffiNation is also very proud to take part in the Summer of Podcasts Contest Head on over and check out the shows rocking the codeword this week. Week Four is Underway!

Enjoy the show and Stay Caffeinated!

• Back Channel: All the Cruft, non of the Chaff
  
• Where else can you find me? www.paulrjmuller.com

Geek Cruft

• Google Wave Rundown, Invites heading out the door Sept 30th
• Bad Poetry? Hopefully it will get me in
• Amazon kerfuffle in a stark light
• Verizon on your privacy, can you hear us now?
• Tiburon, CA. Will take your picture.
• Nothing to hide? Try Bruce Schneier’s take
• Limited edition data, Care to try Self destructing data.
• If its digital its everlasting
• Gibson’s Agrippa poem
• Medieval battle records now online! Direct link to site (Newspaper failed to link to the site… of course)
• OnStar can shut off your engine, in case its stolen. Potential for abuse? or glitch… yup
• Germany to control your car horn in case of emergency?
• Revamp the three laws? Small problem. No one built them into the robots in the first place.
• Suaron’s Eye to be installed in Hawaii
• Walmart throwing money at environmental footprint database
• LHC pushed back again. 2012 anyone?
• Spark plug break through
• To the moon with Google Earth
• Things your kids may never Know

Food & Caffeinated Bits

• On Tap review of a Coffee cold brewing solution and roasting video / articles
• Sour coffee? wonder how it happened
• Corn syrup or sugar? Can you taste the difference

Thanks and Stay Caffeinated People!

Tags: agrippa, amazon, Apollo moon landing, asimov, Bruce Schneier, gibson, Google Earth, google wave, Kindle, LHC, onstar, orwell, Robots, Walmart