Re: [libreplanet-discuss] [fsf-community-team] Golden Rule

[arthur_torrey]

Worth pointing out that there have been successful demonstration cracker 
attacks on some cars (Mopars if I recall correctly) where the attacker was able 
to do everything from remotely play with the radio station / volume and the 
climate control system to shutting down the vehicle....  So this is NOT a 
'theoretical' problem...  A 'fix' has been supposedly put out by Chrysler, but 
aside from the sorts of geeks that read about such things, how many of the 
affected owners are likely to have had it done?  (Quite aside from the question 
of how to verify that it actually fixed the problem...)

Another example of a medical programming issue that I've mentioned at past 
Libre Planet's - I'm a paraplegic and use a power wheelchair.  Even simple 
power chairs have quite sophisticated microcontroller systems to drive the 
chair and incorporate a lot of safety features (some OK, some highly obnoxious) 
to prevent the user from getting into trouble...  There is a lot of programming 
adjustability in these systems that can make major differences in the way the 
chair drives and responds to control inputs.

However the way that chairs come from the manufacturer, they are essentially 
programmed for 'worst case' disabilities which makes them drive HORRIBLY - but 
the manufacturers make it all but impossible to obtain access to the 
programming tools needed to fix the software in most controllers.  (There are a 
few where the software has 'escaped' and can be obtained, but that model is now 
discontinued)  Most require a 'dongle' for the software that is only sold for 
thousands of dollars to folks that have jumped through extreme hoops to get 
it...

There is a 'dealer level' program that is more limited, almost as expensive, 
and is only slightly easier to get - but only if you are a dealer, - users then 
get to BEG their dealer to fix the things the programmer can address, but many 
won't do that because of 'liability concerns' if they modify something from 
stock....

ART



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Arthur Torrey - <arthur_torrey@comcast.net>
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