Owning the CCTV system…of course you can…it’s a great feature!
It was an interesting day at Security 2008 yesterday. (If you’re in Sydney, come on down and have a look. It closes on Thursday this week).
As I mentioned, they have included IT security as part of the exhibition this time, so for the first time, the crowds of “physical” security and data security people are mixing at the event.
While everyone is talking convergence through the new technologies, it’s quite evident that we’re still talking very different languages when the two groups are meeting. There’s a way to go before we really start to understand each other. (But hey, it’s going to happen to one degree or another).
Funny hearing Dec’s story talking to one of the CCTV vendors trying to explain that the system can be taken over and controlled by anyone (aside: Dec was aware that the system has some “weaknesses”). Read on….
Vendor replies; “That is correct, it has a central management console and you can control everything!”
Dec responds; “No….I mean….I can actually take over and own this system and do whatever I want!”
Vendor; “Yes, that is correct…through the management console, you can control everything and do whatever you want!”
Dec; “No….I mean I can hack into it and do whatever I want!”
Vendor stares at Dec blankly…………Dec leaves.
August 27th, 2008 at 11:35 am
Very funny.
I can just imagine similar discussions at Security 2008.
Physical security guy to IT security guy: “So, this wall of fire, firewall-thing sounds bloody awesome mate. Does it use much petrol ? Have you tested it in Afghanistan? Here’s my card.”
August 27th, 2008 at 12:52 pm
Ranum’s Ultimate Firewall;
http://www.ranum.com/
Scroll down when you get there…says it all!
August 27th, 2008 at 10:02 pm
Classic! We still have a long way to go huh Draz?
Geer on Physical and Digital Security convergence: http://geer.tinho.net/ieee.geer.0605.pdf
“If the physics of digital space and
digital time mean we ally ourselves
with the intelligence world view
and not the law enforcement world
view, we have to ask ourselves two
things: is the price of digital sur-
veillance a bearable price for the
benefit of digital safety? And, if so,
what is the unit of digital surveil-
lance? What do we watch—people
or bits?”
Who surveils the surveillance?
August 29th, 2008 at 12:04 am
As Big_Galoot says, if you want to pwn one, go to Harvey Norman. They have discounts for anyone who say’s to the sales guys: “Big Galoot sent us!”