It’s TOO Easy to Accidentally Do Illegal Stuff with This

While the hacking in Watch Dogs might still be the stuff of science fiction, we bought the HackRF One and a few other tools to help get us closer to making it the real deal. Very legal, very cool.

Purchases made through some store links may provide some compensation to Linus Media Group.

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MUSIC CREDIT
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Intro: Laszlo - Supernova

Outro: Approaching Nirvana - Sugar High

CHAPTERS
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0:00 Intro
1:41 Van Eck Phreaking
3:51 Jamming
5:30 Why Aren't They Banned?
7:35 Care To Comment?
8:55 Conclusion
11:00 Outro

[Salty_Nutella]

Can't wait for Linus to Zoom in from prison on the next WAN Show.

[Teth]

Hey so I just want to point out that if your "secure device" can be broken into by something that an electronics beginner can make and learn to use in a week, you shouldn't get to call it "secure". Banning this tech is not the solution, even if they found a way, it's too easy for criminals to just make the damn thing on their own, and criminals are notoriously lax in their adherence to laws so a piece of paper in parliament saying they aren't supposed to isn't going to slow them down much.

The problem is not that this thing exists, it's that the technology around us lacks basic physical security that leaves it vulnerable to whatever random tools anyone happens to make. Imagine securing your house with a lock that opens if you buy a blank key and twist hard. Would you advocate for the restriction of blank keys, or demand that the lock maker make a lock that actually locks?

[ZxkreactiveonXbox]

I didn’t wake up thinking I’d hear Linus saying Skibidi toilet today

[mineyoucraftube]

10:10 instructions unclear, raided Squarespace hq, didn't find any incriminating evidence of rf hacking

[CAMintmier]

Note on the "Kia Boyz" use of USB cables. They aren't using the cable like you would to transfer any kind of data. The hole on the USB A cable (the part that plugs into the computer) is just the right size to fit over the undefended part on the ignition lock, letting them use the end of the USB cable as you would a key. You could use a pair of pliers to grip the ignition lock, but it's not really seen as normal to be carrying a pair of pliers around, whereas it's seen as pretty normal to be carrying around a USB cable for your phone.

[cesaremosu]

Loved the reference to Brazilian jails there. The guys living in them are present day McGyver's, only reason why they haven't gone to the Moon yet is that they can't be in the yard unsupervised

[KDannXII]

Government in a nutshell: "It's now illegal. problem solved"

[chrisoverson]

These tools are absolutely a good thing. If you can't safeguard vital technology and assets against cheap technology that can be built at home or purchased so easily, how are you ever going to harden them against determined individuals and nation states.

It's great for IT and security professionals to be able to test their own systems and for people to learn. You could make purchasing pre-built devices like this licensable like amateur radio is - where you have to prove you have an understanding of how they work and what is/isn't ok to do with them, or tie them to a business entity, but don't ban them.

Blaming poor security on tools like this is like saying it's okay to not have locks on your door because people shouldn't just walk in.

[NelsonPimenta]

That FBI agent in the thumbnail isn't arresting Linus, he is doing something else.

[Cobalt-Jester]

To get around UK selling laws of these kinds of tools, you can buy "soldering practise kits" that once you've "practised" soldering all the provided components onto the supplied circuit board you have a a functional "Grabber".

[dannya]

1:17 I wasn't really paying attention when they segued to the sponsor, so at first I thought James had randomly shouted "Mexico!". 😂

[Synic]

Most big WiFi vendors offer a function to "isolate rogue AP's", which is actually the same type of deauth attack and basically illegal to use. One supplier of event WiFi actually got a hefty fine from the FTC for using it to prevent people from using hotspots.

[jajssblue]

Great conclusion! Car Manufacturer security is laughable. Some basic regulations forcing them to do the minimum would solve most of the problem. But they get to lobby to make it our problem instead.

[rosenraikov]

We used HackRF's in one of my previous jobs. We used it to emulate FM radio to test radio equipment. It was really useful because we were able to automate our testing with it.

[Snowmirage]

"Why don't they just ban these things". Its already illegal to use it in those certain ways ... making it "more illegal" does nothing but restrict legit uses

[Cokai]

IMHO whoever wrote the script for this video is really good. I like the amount of scene changes, the little story, when Linus takes someones stuff away. Even the acting in this video was better than usual. Really the script writer of this video today should be used more often. (this compliment is of course very subjective and comes from someone who hasn't written a script himself (me)). Good job.

[charmio]

As someone in the SDR (software defined radio) community, there's absolutely nothing that can be done to stop people from buying such devices. For instance, the popular RTL-SDR "hacking" tool is just an old USB TV tuner.

[TheJensss]

Car manufacturers don't bother with security so your car doesn't get stolen, but they love "security" by locking down the cars electronics so it is impossible to repair... What a great industry

[carfo]

i love how whenever linus uses his workers as actors, they just sit at the desk like 'wtf is going on'? i wonder if they never tell them lol

[chrisfurlough]

"Stampeding cattle"
"That's not much of a crime"
"Through the Vatican?"
"Kinky!"
Blazing Saddles