Hacker Disables More Than 100 Cars Remotely

[Ocky]

More than 100 drivers in Austin, Texas found their cars disabled or the horns honking out of control, after an intruder ran amok in a web-based vehicle-immobilization system normally used to get the attention of consumers delinquent in their auto payments.

http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/201...r-bricks-cars/

[mvario]

Interesting story and all, but I don't understand why they put the word "hacker" in there. There was no hacking involved. It was misuse of a system already in place. Does logging on with a co-workers password make him a "hacker"? I'd expect that kind of sensationalism from the Times or Fox, but Wired should know better.

[xxJackxx]

That's the complaint I've seen on other sites about this story. Sensationalistic crap. Most "Hacker" stories are though.

[mvario]

Originally Posted by xxJackxx

That's the complaint I've seen on other sites about this story. Sensationalistic crap. Most "Hacker" stories are though.

You're right. It's like if a computer is in any way remotely involved in some aspect of a crime the press slaps the word "hacker" on it. It's like they're from the dark ages... they might as well just call it "witchcraft" and "devilry", simple fear mongering.

[Ocky]

Yeah, 'hacker' sure is a misnomer - I found it rather funny in a morbid kind of way.

[lodore]

surely logging in to another employees account is called unauthorized access?
wonder how he got the login details of the other employee thou

[xxJackxx]

Originally Posted by lodore

wonder how he got the login details of the other employee thou

Other employee could have been a friend, or maybe they had their logon info on a sticky note on their monitor or some kind of stupidity like that. Not very uncommon.