You can install a hardware keylogger device in seconds, no knowledge required other than how to remove keyboard cable and plug into device and device into computer - very small, unless you are looking for it you wouldn't spot it.
OK, hack is putting it strongly, but security was compromised and fairly easily considering the sensitivity of the location. But as I stated in the article, it was made easier by the cooperation of the MP concerned. But to think that this diminishes the importance of the original story or the weakness in the security processes of Parliament is naive. The fact that MP computers are security deificent in the first place is cause for concern enough.
Using a six year old girl to do this was just good TV from the BBC, and makes for a good blog headline of course, mea culpa. :cheesy:
happygeek
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> Ask any real security professional and they'll tell
> you that if someone gets physical access to your
> computer, there's jack you can do.
Ask any real security professional and they will tell you that if a six year old girl gets physical access to your computer they should not be able to install an application, they should not be able to use an unauthorised USB device. The computer should be locked down to prevent this, it is not rocket science, espeically whenj you consider the location of the computer concerned.
But perhaps that is just evidence of the weakness of the security protocol of Parliament. Perhaps it is assumed that becuase the physical perimeter security is so strong there is no need for such tight security at a network and local PC level. The BBC report proves how wrong that assumption is.
happygeek
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I completely disagree with >shadow< and 1337_MilkMan about Linux. You obviously know very little about it, or else you wouldn't have made those comments.
Keyloggers can be written for any operating system, and there isn't a way that the programmers can prevent one from being written. In fact, they're used in many legitimate cases, so keyloggers are in fact not illegal nor a breach of security. The girl could have just as easily installed a keylogger or some bash script that would have done the same thing.
And I agree with Toulinwoek and robgmills, I think that the title is a little exaggerated. When someone has physical access to a computer, there is nothing that can stop the user. The amazing thing about this is that it's a 6 year-old girl, and that she did this in 20 seconds. But I wouldn't really consider it hacking, especially since she required special privaliges in the first place...
edit - too slow
John A
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This has been more than 3 years old, can stop reviving it by posting here.
jingda
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Ok, i know you did not intent to do it. And your question, what do you mean by Now where the position on that girl?
jingda
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