At last month's Defcon, the United States Air Force invited pre-selected hackers to attempt to sabotage an F-15 fighter-jet data system:
And after two long days, the seven hackers found a mother lode of vulnerabilities that — if exploited in real life — could have completely shut down the Trusted Aircraft Information Download Station, which collects reams of data from video cameras and sensors while the jet is in flight.
Pleased with the results, the USAF has announced that next year's Defcon will feature an assault on a satellite. There will again be a pre-screening and qualifying process:
Sometime soon, the Air Force will put out a call for submissions. Think you know how to hack a satellite or its ground station? Let them know. A select number of researchers whose pitches seem viable will be invited to try out their ideas during a "flat-sat" phase—essentially a test build comprising all the eventual components—six months before Defcon. That group will once again be culled; the Air Force will fly the winners out to Defcon for a live hacking competition.
The tentative plan is to allow the hackers to try to take control of an orbiting satellite:
"What we're planning on doing is taking a satellite with a camera, have it pointing at the Earth, and then have the teams try to take over control of the camera gimbals and turn toward the moon"
You can find information about Defcon 28 here.
Get ready for the $5090 5090: GPU prices expected to soar next year
Nvidia's flagship RTX 5090 graphics cards have a suggested retail price of $2,000. With big tech betting everything on generative AI and gobbling up the world's supply of high-end GPUs,… READ THE REST
Apple's rumored folding iPhone is starting to take shape
Tired of waiting for Apple to release a folding phone, I recently opted to pick up a Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold. So, of course, not a week after my… READ THE REST
Meta insists VR not dead
Facebook burned $73bn and changed its name to "Meta" trying to make virtual reality take off, and its fortunes only recovered after pivoting into the AI boom. But the dream… READ THE REST
Keep your private files private and save thousands with Internxt cloud storage
TL;DR: Get no-compromise security for your most sensitive files with 10TB of cloud storage from Internxt for $269.97, 91% off the normal $2,900 price. You take your privacy seriously, and so should anywhere… READ THE REST
New Year, learn new languages with Babbel Language Learning
TL;DR: Unlock lifetime learning with access to Babbel's 14 language learning courses for 61% less. There's a fine line between realistic and risky New Year's resolutions. Sometimes you just can't find the… READ THE REST
Say hello to Office Pro 2021 and goodbye to monthly fees
TL;DR: Get the productivity powerhouse Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows with a free suite of training courses for just $34.97, or 85% off the $239.99 regular price. Do you have an older… READ THE REST