Unlocking L.A.'s Traffic Grid: Phreaked Out (Episode 1)

Check out Episode 2 now! bit.ly/SkrmB7
In the debut episode of our three-part series titled "Phreaked Out," we took a retrospective look at one day in August of 2006, when two Los Angeles traffic engineers, Kartik Patel and Gabriel Murillo, remotely accessed the city's traffic control system and tampered with the light sequences at four main intersections of the city, as part of a labor union protest.
Although there was little evidence of the attack, their alleged disruptions were reported to have triggered a state of gridlock that lasted days. In 2009, Patel and Murillo copped to the crime, which stood as a reminder that the city of Los Angeles, like countless other metropolises, relies on a certain degree of computerized and internet-connected control systems that are vulnerable to exploitation.
Unlocking L.A.'s Traffic Grid: Phreaked Out (Episode 1): bit.ly/1r03DpC
How to Hack a Car: Phreaked Out (Episode 2): bit.ly/1ps2BB7
All The Ways To Hack Your Phone: Phreaked Out (Episode 3): bit.ly/1mfBwef
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[@frunchzz]

"A program called a Graphic User Interface ... took 3/4 days to GET THE BUGS OUT". Am I the only person who gets the feeling most of these people have no idea what they're talking about? 10 minutes of absolute nothing being said. What is this, History Channel?

[@CrisCastillon]

I'd give him the benefit of the doubt and think that he meant to say, "They have a program with a Graphic User Interface to monitor and control the traffic lights system."

[@djchuyto93]

***** well he is defending a person for actually committing a crime on hacking the traffic grid. him not knowing anything about computers would be a horrible case for him to actually take on

[@ATchouMeuMeu]

This is not History Channel. Just a 10 min add for a video game.

[@346ask]

I laughed when he said that.

[@djchuyto93]

well if your going to be a smart ass about it no i dont fucking think that they need a Phd in computers to talk about computers but the dumbass has to know something about it. he is not going to talk about law the whole damb time if he know the man is being charged for what i am assuming cyber crime. its called researd he knows and understands the law but he still needs to understand and know the actual case which happens to involve programing and computers

[@MikeSmith1337]

4:02 "I'm not familiar with like all of the different firewalls and different things we have, but, uh we're comfortable with the level of security we have here" - says the guy in front of a computer still running Windows XP...

[@MikeSmith1337]

***** LOL In the interest of being accurate, which you seem very averse, XP is still supported for any business or individual that wishes to pay exorbitant fees to Microsoft. The city of LA is doing no such thing. Perhaps you should Google Steve Reneker and have a look for yourself where he explains that the minimum buy-in of $500,000 to continue XP support is "not an option". Also, after watching your AMAZING unboxing videos, reading through your homophobic diatribe to your whopping 14 followers on G+, and you thinking that a 2600 hoodie makes you leet, I've concluded that you're not worth any additional time or energy.

[@MikeSmith1337]

***** Good luck with that KZbin career...

[@CM-xr9oq]

I didn't see where he claimed to be the IT Director. He could simply be the Public Relations guy.

[@trinity6880]

LOL Win XP no way

[@kenosabi]

@@MikeSmith1337 "ACKTUALLY" My favorite part was the very clear visual of how you look that came with reading your comment.

[@AnonymousUser77254]

A program called the graphical user interface 😂

[@gavinb7172]

tru...boi

[@meh5812]

GUI GUI GUI

[@trinity6880]

LOL

[@mememe1959]

😆

[@mrarduino2977]

He has not got a clue what he is talking about.

[@jameslow5738]

3:33 Lawyer: "They have a program called the Graphical User Interface used to monitor and control.."

[@kaushikgaekwad]

The lawyer has to do computer science degree to understand that case.

[@laoch33]

That was so hella unclear and comical at the same time. Graphic User Interface is my favourite video game

[@PDoughboy22]

XP is no longer supported, asian traffic guy. Theres a vulnerability.

[@bitreign]

Came here for Samy Kamkar

[@c0deoustech]

+knerhayis Same lol

[@Apfelloch]

+knerhayis but most of all, samy is my hero

[@samad934]

yes. me too

[@ГригорийХовер]

Man i love this dog so much!

[@Dylankatz]

Samy is my hero.

[@BlindCap]

"They have a program called.. uh.. graphic user interface." Does this expensive lawyer really not know what a fucking GUI is?

[@Tatrii]

6:06 When you making a sick beat but you gotta hack the traffic lights real quick

[@DerHirni]

The people responsible for NOT updating the security should be fired...

[@grahamcopes837]

But remember, they were working there, I on the other hand...

[@Ayyy-lmao]

I dont think they should... It depends if they didn't care and knew that it wasn't updated and was flawed then it becomes a problem

[@DerHirni]

Gavin Well, Edward Yu, who apparently is the boss, keeps pretending their system is safe enough, and not connected to the internet at all, which is obviously not the case. Looks like he just doesn't give or shit or is to lazy/ignorant.

[@GoNmanne11]

you know who should be fired? the people who run the technology around the city in watch dogs, i heard the reason you can hack in that game is because everything runs in the same program

[@slymoonlight]

Hard to update - if you don't know what needs to be updated.

[@poochyenarulez]

If you already have access to the systems, then its not really hacking...

[@seanwongcf]

Fire that person who is always saying "I'm comfortable with the security we have".

[@businessnik]

LOL, I don't know anything about firewalls or anything like that, but I'm sure we are fine. OMG, these people run our cities.

[@spaghettilives5106]

A firewall can always be hacked, no matter how good. Just because these guys can't create a totally immune system doesn't mean they're not qualified to run our cities.

[@creperassassin123]

Well if we are going in the way of the bitcoin, then we are fucked because, it is money that people can hack and take. Anything nero to computer is even worse

[@businessnik]

adrian lebit @4:02 I shouldn't hear ANYONE running my city saying "I don't know...about the details...but we are comfortable.." But someone remotely took you control of your lights...for days. That's like saying, IDK how fast my car is, but I am sure I can beat you.

[@spaghettilives5106]

He said he didn't know how much security they had, most likely because he wasn't even part of that department. It's really more like riding shotgun, then asking the driver how fast the car is, then starting a race with knowledge of the speed. You didn't know what the speed was because you had no need for the knowledge in the first place

[@comicbstudios]

creperassassin123 since most money is stored digitally now bitcoin is not really a security issue compared to that

[@glitchsmasher]

Upsides to this video: Samy Kamkar Downsides to this video, everything else.

[@BLITZKRIEG1]

Lol the whistle blower had Ableton Live running in the background to make his desktop more high tech in the cut scenes.

[@francoismartineau5692]

hahaha I'm also wondering what badass stuff he was doing with those arduino windows opened...

[@nickm2137]

Guys it's about time that you release part 2...

[@TofranBohk]

So... There are hackers. That's pretty much all this video said.

[@MrAnonymousCitizen]

I really hope this show gets better as it goes on and that this was just an introduction to the series. Here I thought I might actually learn something from this video, but no.

[@MrAnonymousCitizen]

***** Detailed explanations on previous attacks on systems that had vulnerabilities and how that changed the infrastructure. At least, that is sure what the trailer made it seem like. Oh well.

[@zackinator1439]

Gotta love how the video describes how the system has been hacked, then cuts to a guy going "Nope, our system is secure. It can't be hacked." The guy says "It's not connected to the internet." Then the other guy says "I'm one of the only ones with remote access from home on my laptop." It's one thing to be a bit overconfident about your system's security, but this dude is actually saying his system is unhackable in the video about how it was hacked.

[@Mobliz]

Cat jumps on keyboard... shuts down entire LA traffic system.

[@oskarlothe5134]

0:13 hacking??? that is ableton live you see. its a software for music production and has nothing to do with hacking...

[@fanuchman]

Yeah but can you see the Arduino IDE at the bottom of the screen on the laptop? Dear God, protect us all...

[@mexitechnology7838]

if you don't know Samy please don't write dumb things

[@oskarlothe5134]

rock3tcat (ⵙⴰⵔⵓⵅ) lmao

[@reanimationxp]

Hacking isn't all code you know. Go watch some more movies. To the other guy, Arduino wouldn't be a bad place to start for something like this.

[@fanuchman]

Other guy here; You've all taken the comment so seriously you've missed the satire. Again, the joke here is not on Sammy, but the person in charge of creating the visuals at the start. Aimed at creating visual imagery of "deception" and "penetration", it has fallen flat with the very community they trying are appealing towards.

[@JohnMcclaned]

The dead bird at 5:23 is a nice touch

[@Rakhilya]

Graphical user i terface is not a program. It is an interface just like it says. What did really happen?

[@omarbikarnaf2892]

Lmfao He made my day hahahahahaahhahahaha

[@v1s0e2v7]

I love seeing Ableton and then scrolling down to see how many other people commented that they saw Ableton.

[@RealationGames]

Where can I download this Graphical User Interface program?

[@kaushikgaekwad]

It's every where. GUI means. Instead of command prompt there is buttons to click to complete any process.

[@agentjucey]

loving this series.

[@tranquil31]

a program called GUI....... How the fuck did he even get his job?

[@AdmiralMorgan410]

4:00 I'm not familiar with firewalls or anything else we have around here, but I'm pretty comfortable with security around here

[@jasonmosler]

lol.. a program called "graphic user interface"

[@ratman_jr5308]

dude, just say G.U.I

[@brettefantomet]

-"A program called 'A Graphic User Interface'" -6:06 Ableton Live and Arduino IDE? -"we are comfortable with the technology we have" -4:02 "I'm not familiar with like all of the different firewalls and different things we have, but, uh we're comfortable with the level -of security we have here" -Lots of Windows XP -Other old tech that gives people who has the ability to think an opportunity to attack them succesfully

[@Browncoyote]

At 3:33 mug actually says GUI like it is something special.

[@rdoetjes]

As a developer and hacker myself I can only say that I am happy with people that actually check my code by applying their brain -- I wish we had those, hell I wish we had a test team at this customer! Because even as a hacker in the day to day grind of ever more complex functional requirements and less time to design and even less time to implement stuff; I will drop the ball and create unwanted security holes. I even found a couple that in hindsight were like: "Woah this is dodgy who made this? Oh! It was me!" Now comes the biggest issue that is getting time and money to fix this! For the customers it just isn't broken. So the managers frantically keep their hand on their wallet. And I see a trend that since mid 2000s security is getting more paper based with CISSP. Weird and impracticable security requirements that are always waved a way by a written exception. CISSP people aren't hackers or even security masters. The couldn't pick a lock, do a basic SQL Injection let alone analyse a system for vulnerabilities. Nor are they involved during functional requirement collection phase -- the number of bad functional designs that I as an engineer get is just eye watering. Things like: "If a previous record is omitted from the message, than it should be deleted from the system." And when I as an engineer say this is STUPID DESIGN! Because I can send in an empty message and clean the whole system out, they say: "Yeah but not if completely empty... You will obviously use a percentage." Uhmmmm nope stil SHIT DESIGN! Than I drop random records several times and a percentage is what the BUTCHER USES MORONS! 20% on 1 billion records or 20% on 10 records is a massive difference that ain't gonna fly. Sigh... I think the tech-guys are the only smart guys in companies and we are stepped up on by morons with paper titles like CISSP and guys in ties. who can merely count money. No wonder that most software is FAULTY AND SHITTY!

[@kenosabi]

Some of the tech guys are. Silicon Valley is full of the dumbest "smart" people.

[@RyanKing53535]

3:24 What a weird reflection off the back of that Tank truck. Looks like a glitch in the Matrix or just a really cool illusion :D

[@donpalmera]

Some ws2812 leds flashing and scary music.. OMG HACK THE PLANET. Really expected more from Vice.

[@petorious]

I love the part where their kind of debating about hacking but they don't event know.

[@DAAI741]

6:05 In this episode of impractical TV hacker screens, we have Ableton, a bunch of Arduino sketches scattered across the screen, and a terminal running vim.

[@holly_hacker]

Samy is my hero \:D/

[@stanvanweert7787]

HoLLy_HaCKeR that myspace reference xD

[@MrFloodey]

From 5:02 to around 5:10 - what the hell is that in the sky?

[@egomanic10]

Thought the exact same thing...

[@gee4mac]

It's probably an airplane, it is a time-lapse shot.

[@DJHeroMasta]

LMAO that aint no damn airplane, hahahahahaha

[@vogelszijnlelijk]

Probably a firefly

[@DJHeroMasta]

vogelszijnlelijk --_-- That damn big

[@Rosspal14]

so nerdy but cracked up when the old man says "they had a program called a 'graphical user interface'"

[@Cfomodz]

"I don't know about the firewalls that we have, but we're comfortable with the level of security - that I know nothing about - that we have"... What?

[@stradedigital3725]

Which is why driving schools teach how to proceed in intersections (independently of whether traffic lights are existent, functional or otherwise)

[@wja731]

and y'all wonder how you got hacked, peep the windows xp at 1:11

[@rylan907]

Windows XP is used specifically because it's so old. It's been around for ages, therefor most if not all of the security vulnerabilities have been patched.

[@FlyingUnosaur]

+Rylan Sparks Are you actually being serious ?

[@rylan907]

+Diyar Baban Yes. At least in my limited system admin experience thats what I gathered.

[@MilesWilsondreamteam]

Rylan Sparks Unfortunately that isn't the case, Windows XP is no longer receiving updates, causing it to be a security risk

[@PravSrpski]

Windows XP is harder to hijack...

[@theemaxxie]

As a person that works in this sector, 4 min in and I hear about 4 wrong things, that lawyer still has no clue what a GUI and a program is.

[@spydergs07]

The asian dude said "It's not on the internet" The director dude said he had remote access where he could access it from his laptop at his home... That means it was on the internet. Doesn't matter if things are hardwired or wireless, if the system it's self is on the internet then it's on the internet.

[@Teamshmo]

lol plead guilty, kept his job, no changes.

[@MikleShnikle]

0:12 lol ableton

[@MikleShnikle]

+dan holland assemble the fattest beet

[@Adzzl]

+MikleShnikle Hey man are you educated with this stuff? I want to learn but cant find the right sources for me to follow yuh know ? Think you can help me out ? I wanna learn how to hack and how to stay completely anonymous! Not only I wanna leanr how but i want to learn how it actualy works like the functions and definitions. Help me out? point in the right direction? Maybe books you can offer me ?

[@smileman66]

+MikleShnikle There's also the Arduino IDE window lmao

[@gonespral]

Lol

[@loganscomputerco.2599]

5:26 I like how there is a dead bird sitting front and center in this shot . RIP Bird ???? -- 2014

[@EvanBlack11]

I Didnt Know Abelton Live Made You A Hacker.

[@eTheBlack]

Instead using OS that almost everyone using/used or knows about... use Linux and make your own distro. A lot safer.

[@icesentry]

Sure using linux is great but making a new distro? that's pretty over the top

[@vicofour]

It's easier and more productive to stick with something you know when it works for you. Plus sometimes you have to use programs that are windows only. Also, linux beginners are very likely to use trivial or default passwords on machines that face the outside world. Finally, making things yourself doesn't make them more secure, unless you are better than the team who make {{popularDistroName}}

[@Satakarnak]

what you do is that you take one distro and slim it down until you only got what you nead

[@vicofour]

Satakarnak this is not "making your own" then

[@Darkenedbyshadows]

Victor F maybe he is reffering to something like Gentoo? Idk.

[@locomythic2012]

3:32. What is this "Graphic User Interface" program? Sounds very sophisticated.

[@AwfulWaffle8474]

more episodes like this please!

[@kurt2rsenjazz]

Saying you're comfortable with your level of security is an open invitation

[@MrAnonymousCitizen]

I love that they think that using older technology makes them less vulnerable to attacks. Please keep being that stupid, it gives us spots to break in.

[@MrAnonymousCitizen]

***** 5:34 - 5:47

[@kingneo23]

James Moore says at 4:29:"I think we really dodged a bullet there." I don't think you can call it dodging it if a warning shot didn’t hit you. :D

[@JGunlimited]

at 6:06 . IS that the Arduino IDE I see?? As in, the one used for hobby/introduction to electronics. Ha! Looks so fancy lol

[@carlovincetti1352]

This is a very good example of balance in our world. If we didnt have the worse of hakers, we wouldnt be able to have the level of security we possess now, not to mention the securities we will be needing in the future.

[@kenosabi]

Well when quantum computing comes into play none of these security features will mean a damn thing. Considering the US, China, Russia, etc are all working on exactly that -- man we're gonna need a security revamp.

[@Cfomodz]

"Our system isn't on the internet.. we use VHS"... *one minute later* "I was one of the only people who had remote access from my laptop at home" WHAT?! These guys contradict themselves in the same segment and we trust them to run our cities... Great.

[@Mobliz]

1:29 that monitor behind him is pretty legit.

[@Senni_d]

0:13 why does he have ableton live open ?

[@Senni_d]

Tona Pulido Didn't think of that thanks

[@landongreer]

Windows XP has shown up in the background more than five times. Support for XP was dropped, why no update as of yet?

[@oliverguy3121]

All analog and cant be accesed via the internet, but people have remote access, please explain???

[@oliverguy3121]

but the control room is connected to the cameras and lights

[@reanimationxp]

He's a complete moron, there's your explanation.

[@user-nl6md8pu6y]

That defense lawyer, Blat, had a painting of the Godfather. I like him.

[@Las1k]

I'm confused as to how this is hacking at all. The two accused are; someone who already had access, and the original designer of the system.

[@EvanMcCarter]

>best traffic system in the world >running windows XP and 95

[@yakbabbler]

good video but i felt it was a little too jumpy, there was no one story that wove everything together but glad to see different points of view

[@Chrisiscool50]

I just want to see the gridlock, didn't expect this.

[@fiskmasen8599]

0:11 when you are talkning about hacking and the picture shows a Guy making music in ableton

[@Bierce88]

sorry but if there still running xp they deserve to be hacked lmao

[@errata101]

That fella James Moore Dir of Op-USC,,, is a perfect example of a position that could be run on autopilot, getting rid if him would result in 60-80% less workload for the dept..., since they have one of them there graphical user interfaces,

[@TheFortuneCat]

I love this music!

[@EpicMoose12345]

Happy 99 videos :D!

[@moonasha]

>They have a program called the Graphic User Interface My sides

[@-HustleUnion-]

did that guy just say "I don't know the different fire walls and protection, but I feel comfortable." I guess ignorance is bliss

[@madfadedbaby782]

love the guy being all reassuring that the system is pretty well fully protected cause it all old school hard wired, lol its called splice the wire and tap in...........................

[@shinmai]

"a lot of our technology and software is just not up to today's standards, so that actually provides a lot of security that a level of that a lot of agencies don't have. You know? Again, we're comfortable with the technology we have." That's like saying you feel comfortable with your password being "password1".

[@redwireprod]

"Thought of as the center of car culture in the US"? Pretty sure Detroit or Michigan in general is considered that

[@joeykache]

LoL! 25 seconds into clip is Glendale, CA. NICE!!

[@mike0rr]

Why do they have an Arduino IDE open at 6:06? Looks to be a few of them.

[@quantumfang2185]

I like how when it showed the guy viewing code on his phone and laptop at 6:08 it was the Arduino IDE he was typing into and the app on his phone was the Android IDE .-.

[@NASAgeek321]

3:30 "A program called the Graphic User Interface had been shut down"

[@MrC0MPUT3R]

I'm only at 1:15 and I already see Windows XP in the background. Really not expecting their security to be very tight...

[@arjunbhardwaj7931]

came here to say this lol

[@ThePenne12]

+MrC0MPUT3R "We use outdated software - Which is really a security bonus." No. no. no. no. no. Updating Software = Security Patches

[@markblank9990]

+MrC0MPUT3R you make me laugh, just because they are using windows xp doesn't mean that they have weak security. windows xp is a great os and lots of goverment program doesn't support other os yet, even US navy pays microsoft to continue the support in their windows xp os.

[@MrC0MPUT3R]

Mark Blank Watching the rest of the video, the guy says he's comfortable with their level of security (mostly because of obscure obsolete tech) also makes me think they're not as secure as they think.

[@neowakeup1100]

+MrC0MPUT3R i dont blame the indian guy ... that asian had it coming anyways

[@hannah42069]

"I think everyone should hack..." *immediatley hacks all friends*

[@WillN2Go1]

Los Angeles traffic signals have for years been a complete mess, they still are.

[@spicybaguette7706]

If i was one of those hackers, i would never wait again for the lights to turn green

[@garymahony701]

Can anyone tell me who the artist is of that big painting in Samy Kamkar room is? You can kinda see it at 3:04.

[@CathodeRayKobold]

"Our systems are not up to today's standards, and that actually provides us with a level of security" What the ****. Okay, I get that your lack of internet access keeps you safe from remote attacks, but if someone gets in your door (Which, if your cybersecurity policies are any indicator, is not implausible), you're screwed.

[@armyboundarfarf]

Too bad its only like ten minutes very interesting topic

[@froyorex4856]

3:29 Graphic User Interface is not a program it's a type of interface like Cli (command line interface). Right👍: The program has a graphic User Interface.

[@TalsonHacks]

"Samy Kamkar: Whistleblower" ... What!?

[@BenjaminDirgo]

"We're comfortable with the security we have here." Windows XP on the computers behind him.

[@vladbcom]

hmm not exactly hacking when you have access to the systems to begin with

[@MegaShakaw]

damme that Lawyer is a badass with a Godfather poster on his office xD

[@katatagaming3187]

Do more of this please

[@TheRedneckjim]

some traffic lights actually have an open RF signal that traffic light maintenance workers can access... or anyone who can find that signal and has the hardware to do so.

[@AmanKumar]

That godfather potriat behind the lawyer . He must be a badass

[@jumpmanhat]

0:14 lol dude making beats on ableton while hacking stuff

[@zoralinman]

Paul Walkers car was hacked and so was flight 370

[@BlueLightyGaming123]

He died sadly

[@cronTabsolute]

they are the IT engineers of the entire traffic network and instead of a linux os they are using windows xp 0_0

[@MauritsHD]

0:13 watch out he's hacking everything with ableton

[@GrantGarber]

Does bringing in an guy to test vulnerabilities actually make a system more secure, or just provide a false sense of security that opens and organization up to future attacks?

[@caseytubes]

It all depends on what they do with that information.

[@_chipchip]

It's more about someone being able to tell you where you're vulnerable and providing you with the information to resolve the potential risks.

[@spinnenente]

im sorry but are you serious? you cant fix problems that you didn't know were there.

[@djchuyto93]

spinnenente thats exactly why you call in someone else to show you your flaws. google actually pays hackers to try and hack there system so that it can actually be as protective as can be. and that doesnt mean that google is the most protective engine out there

[@danermanerkider]

If the person knows what theyre doing and testing, then they analyze the data and see what needs improving. Its like bringing in a masonry specialist guy to look at your old wall protecting your home, he inspects it and tests it to see how it does under stress or load, like someone leaning on it or something, then he tells you whats wrong with it or breaking, then it gets fixed. Also, it only is valuable and works if it is fixed and patched up, otherwise those vulnerabilities will still be there and open until they are patched and beefed up... obviously.

[@Matonias]

3:30 I get why this guy can't defend against hacker LOL