This is wrong, so don't try it at home, but also kind of funny. Although the Texas Department of Transportation isn't laughing.Someone yesterday hacked into a digital traffic sign in Austin that was placed to warn drivers of detours. They changed the messages to say things like, "Caution! Zombies Ahead," "Nazi Zombies! Run!!!, and "Run for cold climates."
Traffic controllers say the signs generated safety hazards thanks to drivers slowing down to view the messages and take photos.
TxDOT is trying to figure out who hacked into its digital road sign system. The sign manufacturing company had to be brought in to override the hacker's work.
There is good news though; no zombies have been sighted in the area.
4 comments:
The hack was published recently. I was wondering how long it would take before someone did this.
Very interesting Hank. Thanks for the info. I'll have to talk to the manager of the Spokane Regional Transportation Management Center (www.srtmc.org) that's located within our suite of offices and see what the risk is in our area. When there's an accident on the freeway, I always try to talk the center operator's into writing something like, "Accident ahead, turn back now!" on the signs but they never listen to me. No one else does either though...
...but they never listen to me...
Okay...I'll at least respond. ;-)
As far as I know this applies to the mobile signs and not the permanent ones lurking over the freeway.
Thanks Hank, my self esteem feels a little better. The ones we deal with in the SRTMC are all the permanent ones so we're safe from the scourge of zombies. For now.
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