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Large Hadron Collider hacked
Information Age ^ | 9-15-08

Posted on 09/16/2008 3:56:41 AM PDT by Renfield

A group of Greek hackers broke into the particle accelerator's systems just as scientists were turning it on in front of the world's media

Monday, 15th September 2008

Even as the scientists at CERN, the centre for nuclear research, were switching on the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) particle accelerator under Geneva last week, a group of Greek hackers were one step away from controlling a 12,500-ton electromagnet that serves as one of the machine’s four detectors.

The intruders posted a lengthy note in Greek on the machine’s network introducing themselves as ‘the Greek Security Team’, mocking the system’s poor security and calling the IT staff responsible for it “a bunch of schoolkids.”

The hackers said they had no intention of interfering with the operation of the LHC, but added, “We're pulling your pants down because we don't want to see you running around naked looking to hide yourselves when the panic comes.”

Scientists fighting off the attack on the ‘Compact Muon Solenoid Experiment’, which is competing with the Atlas detector to find evidence of the Higgs boson particle, reportedly described the intrusion as “a scary experience”.

"It is hard enough to make these things work if no one is messing with it,” an insider told The Daily Telegraph.

While only one existing file was damaged, half a dozen were reportedly uploaded and had to be carefully studied before deletion in order to avoid potential back-door threats.

"It was quickly detected and there seems to be no harm done,” said CERN spokesperson James Gillies. “From what we can tell, it was someone making the point that CMS was hackable."


TOPICS: Miscellaneous; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: hacking; hadron
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To: Renfield
Large Hadron Collider as Massive Grid Computer
21 posted on 09/16/2008 6:41:12 AM PDT by Between the Lines (I am very cognizant of my fallibility, sinfulness, and other limitations.)
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To: Ilya Mourometz
What do you think of the CIA giving out the names of the Patriots that hacked al qaeda? They seem to protect the crooks and terrorists and give up America Patriots. There is a double standard. Perhaps I rushed to judgement but there is a major problem in the digital world. Perhaps hackers should own Microsatan.

LLS

22 posted on 09/16/2008 6:41:22 AM PDT by LibLieSlayer (GOD, Country, Family... except when it comes to dims!)
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To: BooksForTheRight.com

They have upgraded their security. The network name was changed from Linksys to Hadron and the login info was changed from “admin:password” to “big:bang.”

It’s much more secure now.


23 posted on 09/16/2008 6:47:41 AM PDT by MediaMole
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To: Renfield
large hadron collider live webcam
24 posted on 09/16/2008 7:05:38 AM PDT by PapaBear3625 ("In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act." -- George Orwell)
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To: Renfield

heheh...hacked by the G(r)eek Squad...


25 posted on 09/16/2008 7:11:11 AM PDT by Andonius_99 (There are two sides to every issue. One is right, the other is wrong; but the middle is always evil.)
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To: LibLieSlayer
What message were they sending?

That those running the operation hadn't done due diligence in security.
26 posted on 09/16/2008 7:18:08 AM PDT by aruanan
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To: yevgenie

Well, data analysis is a different subject. If you’re in Chicago, I imagine you work at Fermilab.

Anyway, it appears to me that you don’t need to analyze data “real time” which would require remote access. Seems to me all you need is the raw data shipped to you. It’s pretty easy to set up a one way link that moves data.

I have to admit, you’re looking at cutting edge stuff and I look forward to seeing the results of the experiments.

I might even understand the results of the experiments, if Leon Lederman’s book “The God Particle” isn’t completely outdated.


27 posted on 09/16/2008 11:14:58 AM PDT by stylin_geek (Liberalism: comparable to a chicken with its head cut off, but with more spastic motions)
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To: yevgenie; LibLieSlayer

Just to give you an example of security issues, a lot of people consider it a major inconvenience changing their password once a year, let alone every three months. And three months is what I consider the MAXIMUM interval one should have on a network.

On top of setting password change intervals, try getting people to use complex passwords. These tend to be fairly simple, Upper and lower case letters along with numbers, minimum length of 6 digits. Yet, people, especially people with clout, consider this to be too much trouble.

The above steps are basic security measures, but this is enough for people to accuse IT of being paranoid.


28 posted on 09/16/2008 11:34:06 AM PDT by stylin_geek (Liberalism: comparable to a chicken with its head cut off, but with more spastic motions)
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To: stylin_geek
Well, I want to know who made the decision to set this thing up so it is connected to the Internet.

As an IT person, you should know the original purpose in setting up the "Internet" was to facilitate communications between US university libraries and government sponsored research laboratories. The thought being to make electronic copies of research abstracts and results generally available to people working in similar areas of advanced scientific study but widely separated geographically. Such studies include high energy physics, making a connection to the CERN accelerator almost a given. Other labs so connected are Los Alamos and Sandia Labs.

The Internet has grown way past anything envisioned by the founding organizations and has truly become "the worldwide web". What amazes me is that it's main function now seems to be disseminating pornography, commercial enterprise, a soap box for every crackpot blogger, and an unending supply of lame jokes. We truly have progressed from the sublime to the ridiculous in one generation.

Regards,
GtG

PS I agree with you regarding the security of their connection, it was appallingly lax and heads should roll because of the breach.

29 posted on 09/16/2008 3:10:22 PM PDT by Gandalf_The_Gray (I live in my own little world, I like it 'cuz they know me here.)
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To: LibLieSlayer

I am not aware of that story about hacking al-qaeda. If that’s true, then I’d agree with you 100% that would be a terrible thing for the CIA to do. Unfortunately, as most people have come to realize (on both sides of the aisle), the CIA has long been a government unto itself. They’ve spent the last 8 years trying to undermine Bush, so I don’t put it past them to do something like that.


30 posted on 09/16/2008 3:38:12 PM PDT by Ilya Mourometz
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To: Gandalf_The_Gray

We could have a spirited discussion which would basically involve denotation versus connotation when it comes to the internet.

Anyway, yeah, I have to grant you your point when it comes to original intent, whereas I tend to think of what it currently is.

That aside, if all you are doing is moving raw data, it’s easy enough to set up a one way connection, or, upload the data to a “data clearinghouse” server which can then be accessed by those who want to look at or download the data.

I’m quite sure the computer infrastructure is set up the way management wanted it, over IT’s objections.


31 posted on 09/16/2008 5:51:02 PM PDT by stylin_geek (Liberalism: comparable to a chicken with its head cut off, but with more spastic motions)
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