Dieselgate, but for trains – some heavyweight hardware hacking (badcyber.com)

Article summary

A Polish train manufacturer's trains broke down during maintenance by a third-party company, and an investigation by a hacking group found that the trains' software had been designed to disable them if they were taken to certain maintenance facilities. The software contained GPS coordinates of competitors' facilities and would lock out the trains if they spent more than 10 days at those locations. The manufacturer had lost the maintenance contract to the third-party company and stood to gain financially from the situation. The discovery has raised questions about the manufacturer's intentions and the legality of their actions.

Main themes

• vendor lock-in
• right to repair
• software sabotage
• manufacturing ethics
• after-sales support
• industry practices
• regulatory implications
• ownership and control

What commenters say

• The manufacturer's actions constitute sabotage and a deliberate attempt to force customers to use their maintenance services.
• The presence of GPS coordinates of competitors' facilities in the train's software is proof of malicious intent.
• The situation is not as clear-cut as it seems, and there may be other explanations for the code and its behavior.
• The manufacturer's refusal to provide assistance or documentation to the third-party maintenance company suggests a deliberate attempt to undermine their ability to perform the maintenance.
• The use of such tactics is a common practice in the industry, known as vendor lock-in, and is driven by the desire to maintain control over after-sales support and revenue.
• The discovery highlights the need for greater transparency and accountability in the design and implementation of software in critical infrastructure.
• The situation has implications for the concept of ownership and the right to repair, as customers may be forced to rely on the manufacturer for maintenance and repairs.
• The manufacturer's actions may be protected by laws such as the DMCA, which could limit the ability to prosecute or seek damages.
• The case is similar to the Dieselgate scandal, but with a different set of circumstances and motivations.
• The manufacturer's intentions and actions are not necessarily malicious, but rather a result of a desire to protect their business interests and ensure safety and quality standards.