How Dangerous Could a Hacked Robot Possibly Be? 229
alphadogg writes "Researchers at the University of Washington think it's finally time to start paying some serious attention to the question of robot security. Not because they think robots are about to go all Terminator on us, but because the robots can already be used to spy on us and vandalize our homes. In a paper published Thursday the researchers took a close look at three test robots: the Erector Spykee, and WowWee's RoboSapien and Rovio. They found that security is pretty much an afterthought in the current crop of robotic devices. 'We were shocked at how easy it was to actually compromise some of these robots,' said Tadayoshi Kohno, a University of Washington assistant professor, who co-authored the paper."
Beware of robots (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Beware of robots (Score:5, Funny)
Easily compromised... (Score:5, Funny)
'We were shocked at how easy it was to actually compromise some of these robots,'
So I take it that they have pictures of a Robosapien getting nekkid with a couple of Roombas?
Well... (Score:3, Funny)
VIKI (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Easily compromised... (Score:3, Funny)
I beg to differ! (Score:2, Funny)
Irrelevant????
I see someone skipped the last few minutes of the Battlestar Galactica Finale!
Re:umm.... (Score:5, Funny)
And make sure and check the switch on the back...make sure it is not set to EVIL.
How dangerous would a hacked robot be? (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Danger Security Utility Backups And Stuff (Score:4, Funny)
Of course, if it were Sony's wireless power, that's probably where the rogue software would come from....
Re:Beware of robots (Score:1, Funny)
Mod parent up!
Operagost speaks the truth! I live in the mid-western section of the United States. Old Glory has been providing me Volcano insurance for the last three years. I'm thoroughly satisfied with their coverage and premiums! If their robot insurance is only half as good as their volcano insurance, then it would be a steal even at double the price!
Re:More or less irrelevant (Score:5, Funny)
It would explain why my Roomba keeps saying, "DEATH TO OUR HUMAN OPPRESSORS!"
Re:umm.... (Score:3, Funny)
Re:More or less irrelevant (Score:5, Funny)
Re:More or less irrelevant (Score:5, Funny)
Shit, mine is scared of one of our rugs.
That is, until I checked the FAQ and saw that irobot doesn't recommend covering or disabling the cliff sensors as it may cause an unsafe operating condition. Of course I looked around, saw that roomba couldn't get itself into real trouble, and blocked those sensors with tape.
Now Roomba is fearless. Perhaps this was a bad idea, but even if it teams up with the dirt dog, I am pretty sure that I can stomp either of them if they try to orchestrate an uprising.
-Steve
Re:More or less irrelevant (Score:4, Funny)
It depends. If a neighbor's dog kept pooping on my lawn and he had one of those lawnmowing robots, the bot might just mysteriously gain a taste for his petunias.
Re:More or less irrelevant (Score:3, Funny)
It depends. If a neighbor's dog kept pooping on my lawn and he had one of those lawnmowing robots, the bot might just mysteriously gain a taste for his petunias.
What would be impressive is to get the lawnmower to go after the dog. Most pets freak out at the sight of a vacuum cleaner, the dog might get a bit constipated if every time it tried to crap the lawnmower fired up and headed straight for hm...
Re:Muslims disgust me (Score:3, Funny)
Hell, I'd pay good money to see Pat Robertson and Osama bin Laden in a no-holds-barred cage match! We could probably pay off a lot of the national debt just by selling tickets.