Hacking US Crosswalks to Talk Like Zuck is as Easy as 1234
The streets of America have become a playground for hackers, with crosswalk buttons being hijacked to spit out AI-generated voices impersonating billionaires like Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, and Mark Zuckerberg. The prank, which has been spotted in multiple US cities, including Seattle and Silicon Valley, is a clever example of how easily vulnerable systems can be exploited.
According to reports, the crosswalk buttons were hacked using a mobile application that was freely available from the manufacturer of the crosswalk hardware for configuring the gear. The app, which has since been pulled from public app stores, allowed users to configure the spoken messages triggered by button presses, adjust the signal timing, and install language packs - in this case, AI-generated voices.
The hacker's success can be attributed to a combination of factors, including poor security measures and the widespread availability of the Polara Field Service app. The app, which is used to manage pedestrian signal systems, was made available by the manufacturer as a convenience for customers, but it also provided an easy entry point for hackers.
"Polara presumably made for an appealing target because they have a wireless management interface by Bluetooth, they have a huge market share, and the results are hilariously public in the form of spoken voices on every corner," said noted hacker Deviant Ollam. "If governments are properly funded right now, there's a chance we'd actually see work crews going out there, going intersection to intersection."
However, not everyone is amused by the prank. The city government in Seattle has expressed frustration at the situation, stating that fixing the tampered buttons is eating up staff time that could be spent elsewhere.
"We take this matter seriously and are working as fast as we can to respond to the situation," said a spokesperson for the Seattle Department of Transportation. "We are also working with our vendor to explore stronger security measures to prevent future hacking."
The Consequences of Poor Security Measures
The hacking incident highlights the importance of robust security measures in protecting vulnerable systems like crosswalk buttons. The fact that a default PIN of 1234 was used as the default passcode for Polara's systems makes it easy for hackers to gain access.
"This is why default credentials in production are bad," said Ollam. "If governments are properly funded right now, there's a chance we'd actually see work crews going out there, going intersection to intersection."
The Future of Security
As the hacking incident demonstrates, security measures can be breached if not properly implemented. However, with proper funding and resources, it is possible to prevent such incidents in the future.
"Then again, this is a stunt that's poking fun at the ruling class," said Ollam. "So there's often been a way of magically making money appear out of nowhere, even while children go hungry in schools that are underfunded."