Film Question: Cyber-Attack in 1 line of code?

Posted by ebagpictures on Wednesday September 06, 2017 @02:53PM
from the self-post dept.

Hi, I am a filmmaker with only a rudimentary understanding of cybersecurity, and I have an unusual technical question for some research I am doing for a script. I apologise in advance if I sound like a complete newbie...

Is there a line of code (say 8 numerical digits or so) that could, in theory, cause significant damage to a government or military infrastructure?

For example, a line of code or a passkey that could disable a fighter jet, cause a military satellite blackout, shut-down powerplants, etc.

I am working on a project that deals with a cyber vulnerability being leaked in a line of code, but I would like to have something that’s at least semi-realistic and not yet-another ‘Hollywood hacker’ cliche.

What is actually ‘theoretically’ possible in a line of digits?

Open to all suggestions! Thanks

( 3 comments | on HN )

Re:Film Question: Cyber-Attack in 1 line of code? by mintusReligius on Wednesday September 06, 2017 @03:05PM (#15186239)

Check the classic fork bomb :(){ :|: & };:. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fork_bomb

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Re:Film Question: Cyber-Attack in 1 line of code? by khannover on Wednesday September 06, 2017 @03:09PM (#15186285)

or on windows just %0|%0

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Film Question: Cyber-Attack in 1 line of code? by celticninja on Wednesday September 06, 2017 @03:07PM (#15186265)

The only vulnerability that would fit this description would be a password that would allow someone access to a system. But a password once leaked could easily be changed.

[ Parent | on HN ]