Does technology have the ability to hack and control anything that is electronic

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   snapcracklepopposted 7 years ago

   Does technology have the ability to hack and control anything that is electronic or computerized?
   
   What about appliances, trucks, airplanes, ships, submarines, our alarm systems, etc.? So can any and everything be hacked? Are there examples to prove that just about anything can be hacked and taken control of?

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   lisavollrathposted 7 years ago

   Have you ever heard of an air-gapped computer? It's one that doesn't have the software on it to access a network or the Internet, and has never been connected to either. In theory, an air-gapped computer is not hackable, because it isn't accessible by other machines.
   
   My 1999 Ford Ranger is not hackable. There's no way to connect to it via WiFi, and a physical connection can't do much more than turn the Check Engine light on when it shouldn't be.
   
   My refrigerator, dishwasher, microwave, oven, food processor---nothing in my kitchen is hackable. They don't contain any elements that can be hacked. Neither does my HVAC system and thermostat. My house, in general, is not hackable. It was built in 1962, and I have steadfastly refused any upgrades that add access by smart phones or computers.
   
   So no, not anything that is electronic or computerized can be hacked and controlled from the outside.

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      snapcracklepopposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      Never heard of an air gapped computer or air gapped techn. Sounds interesting. Of course much older models or versions of automobiles and appliances cannot be hacked. But what about this "modern" stuff like heart monitors and devices like pacemakers?

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   eugbugposted 7 years ago

   No it doesn't.
   If someone has physical access to electrical/electronic devices, yes they can hack into them and re-wire or add circuitry so they do something different to what was intended. Physical access means actually opening up the devices or possibly tapping into wiring connected to the systems (eg. bypassing a basic wired alarm system).
   If a system has communication capabilities, wired or wireless, well then it can potentially be controlled or snooped upon or interfered with in some way. However the degree to which a hacker can control the device depends on what the communications software in the device is capable of doing. So for instance you can probably hack into your neighbour's electronic wireless outdoor thermometer and read the temperature. You can probably even get info on the comms protocol from the manufacturer. The data from the device is unlikely to be secure. However the thermometer can't be controlled and only transmits data. It doesn't "listen" it only "talks" and transmits readings at regular intervals. Some systems allow two way communication. So they can be talked to and listened to. But they may not be secure. So a laboratory instrument for example could have communication capabilities and allow another device such as a computer or other instrument to talk to it and e.g. set measurement range or request readings. Other devices are more secure and data is encrypted before transmission so it is more difficult or practically impossible to control them or decipher information sent from them. Without a wired or wireless connection to the outside world, electronic or computerised devices cannot be controlled. They can however be damaged. Beamed microwave radiation can fry even older electronic devices and make a system e.g. a car inoperable. However this is a crude technique. The EMP or electromagnetic pulse produced by a nuclear explosion can destroy electronic devices also. A powerful radio transmission can also interfere with the operation of sensitive electronics (which is why cell/mobile phones are supposed to be turned off in flight)

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      snapcracklepopposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      Wow! Fascinating stuff. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and insights on this matter of hacking.

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