First human 'infected with computer virus'

[bananas]

Source: BBC

A British scientist says he is the first man in the world to become infected with a computer virus.

Dr Mark Gasson from the University of Reading contaminated a computer chip which was then inserted into his hand.

The device, which enables him to pass through security doors and activate his mobile phone, is a sophisticated version of ID chips used to tag pets.

In trials, Dr Gasson showed that the chip was able to pass on the computer virus to external control systems.

<snip>

Read more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/10158517.stm

[ShortnFiery]

1. No way we go down that road. Just say "NO!" eom

[maxsolomon]

3. oh, we're going down that road

apes like to fight. we'll invent new ways to fight and new things to fight over.

we're also going down the human cloning road, whether we want to or not, because money makes the world go round.

[HopeHoops]

2. Check out the CASPIAN site nocards.org.

http://www.nocards.org/

I've been following this since the fuckers came out. If you shop at WalMart, you've already got a house full of RFID chips. A lot of tires have them for "inventory control", but they can be read by road-side scanners from at least 10' away so they can be used for speed enforcement to automatically issue tickets. To the best of my knowledge, that isn't being done anywhere (yet), but it there is absolutely nothing to prevent it from happening and no laws exist in any state to restrict it.

Just for the record, if you have your cell phone on while you drive, your position is known by the triangulation from towers that they use for the E-911 system. Again, I don't know of any place that is doing it, but it would be a simple matter of data collection (for profit, obviously) to determine how long it took you to go from point A to point B and by simple math determine your rate of speed. If you get a fine via the mail one day, don't be shocked.

[Greyskye]

5. I thought you were full of it. You actually understated the case.

I'm talking about the distance you could read RFID chips. The last time I looked into this, I thought that the maximum distance was a few feet. OK, I guess it's been a long time since I looked into it; maybe as long ago as when the concept was introduced. So I decided to see what I could find in order to contest your claim of being able to be read at 10' away at speed.

Then I found this, on a trade website devoted to the food production industry. They may not be able to write worth a crap, but I doubt they have an agenda as far as RFID chips go. (I take it back, just noticed that the author's first language is not English. I'm sure I couldn't do a fraction as well in his native language LOL):

http://www.foodproductiondaily.com/Supply-Chain/Radar-reader-spots-RFID-tag-location-at-a-distance
Current readers have increased the operating range to tens of metres and will soon reach the one hundred meter range mark with passive tags, Marsh stated.

"Here location information together with the identity information becomes essential as so many transponders can be located in such a large area," he stated.

The company's technique allows processors to measure the range of a transponder to an accuracy of 0.5 metres with a pointing direction of just one degree, for transponders as far away as 100metres, with up to 100 transponders in the zone at a time.

"This development is revolutionary, in that instead of needing expensive transponders and readers, our development allows this technique to be applied to the "five cent"transponder and the "$100" reader," Marsh stated. "We make the measurements from a single reader site, making the equipment suitable for use in mobile applications such as when the reader is fitted to a forklift truck."

[HopeHoops]

10. Curiously, the distance increase was a result of WalMart's pressure on the industry.

They wanted to be able to scan a carton of razors (yes, several hundred in a box) to take inventory of them all from at least 10'. The industry complied.

[Kali]

7. husband was just on a jury

triangulation and location of a cell phone was one of the pieces of evidence in the trial

[HopeHoops]

11. The phone companies "claim" they only keep the data for 15 minutes.

Reality check: it is worth a SHITLOAD of money in cases like that. They don't throw it away.

[Heywood J]

19. That's also why it's a bad idea to speed

if you have an electronic toll transponder. If they decide to compare highway entrance/exit times or distance/time between tollbooths, you're screwed.

[HopeHoops]

21. Oh yeah. Again, I don't think anyone has done it, but you wouldn't even HAVE to be on a toll road.

All they would have to do is install the things on bridges spaced a couple miles apart and HELLO MR. TICKET!

[tinymontgomery]

25. I think the PA turnpike

does this with their toll ticket. Get to the next toll to early and your nailed. It has been awhile since I've been on it but I think thats what I remember.

[HopeHoops]

26. Last time I was on it (within the last year), I KNOW I was way over the limit - no ticket.

I'm pretty sure I recently read that they specifically do NOT do this because they want to encourage people to use the transponders, not scare them away. The more people using the automated system, the fewer people they have to hire to collect tolls. Yep - job killer.

[tinymontgomery]

27. Thanks for the update.

[Ignis]

22. Great info there. Also, for fun, read Doctorow's Little Brother.

Main Site: http://craphound.com/littlebrother/
Free Download: http://craphound.com/littlebrother/download/

[Soylent Brice]

4. the Singularity is Near...

K&R

[demoleft]

6. oh my... n/t

[TheModernTerrorist]

8. One time I swallowed a spider

Does that make me Spiderman??? :shrug:

...I'm just sayin'

[Posteritatis]

9. Mmmm, hyperbole. (nt)

[AlbertCat]

12. For crying out loud! Take two Blue Tooth devices and call me in the morning.

[Joanne98]

13. LOL

[msanthrope]

14. So which Cylon number is he? n/t

[Giant Robot]

15. I was thinking more along the lines of

How long til Skynet becomes aware, but I guess the point is still the same.

[arikara]

16. Why in hell would he have to insert the damn thing into his hand

in order to do that? I've long heard of the chip visa and debit cards being compromised by crooks with readers.

[Posteritatis]

17. Because it inspires panic. (nt)

[arikara]

20. LOL!

:-)

[Javaman]

18. So, what? the door don't open automatically anymore? he has to use the knob?

oh the humanity!

[paparush]

23. Neal Stephenson would like a word with this fellow.

Hopes he'll listen to Reason.

[Demeter]

24. I Can See It Now: James Bond Says: "Pull My Finger"

and the idiot bad guy does.