Thats Right, Security Alert in Ham Radio. WinAPRS has been HACKED and this exploit can be done over the air waves. Should you be Worried? Are you Worried, tell you what you think. Frank L.
For those that prefer to read and have some depth on this - Hacking Ham Radio: WinAPRS – Part 1 - Coalfire - a multipart, text based, series on APRS, how it works and how the exploit works. This work is somewhat dated as it features Wun10.
I link to that article also. Mostly my point is, lets start taking security in this hobby more seriously. With more and more digital mode being created lately, then everyone just hooking up their radio to the computer. We should take second and start building in some protection before someone bad bites us. Yes this HACK is dated using an old OS, but lets learn from this so it doesn't happen again.
No problem, i know it couldn't wait to a normal release to be published. We all need to start thinking about security with your digital modes.
Franklin, You specify XP as the weak link in the chain. How about Win-Vista? Is this exploit/vulnerability likely to be found in this, the most neurotic and security conscious OTT Operating-System from more recent times? See, I have a WinVista 64-bit OS on a pretty fast Core2 Duo PC with an early nVidia GPU Accelerator that makes it useful for legacy installations of Photoshop 7, for instance. And being a slow country-boy; I'm not intending to get rid of it. Vista really was a security obsessives' dream come true. What do you think of running WSJT and others like PSK-31, or PC-Ale on a Win Vista OS, given what you've read?
OEM Support for Windows Vista ended 6 years ago, so there will be no more updates to address new and emerging threats.
I know that! When I say "Slow Country Boy" I'm not trying to conjure in your mind a picture of a Tennessee Farm-boy with a straw hat and suspended breeches/dungarees, on his way to the Square-dance!
Huh? The point is that if you are concerned about security, use an operating system that is current and still receiving updates.
Hmmm, I do not see how that effects' real HAM radio, do you? Now if you are a keyboard jockey is a different story. More and more young folks are working keyboards, will not be long the Keyboard operators will need to come up with there own name for there hobby. Ok bring on the hate mail, I will be sure not to read them. 73 to all Ham Radio operators.
Thanks for posting the article and link.There's always some maggot who actively searches for something to destroy. OTOH - No malware detected in my straight key or the Vibroplex and my Morse decoder operates on coffee at normal speeds or Scotch at slower speeds. 73 de Ray ..._ ._
