NYC taxis simply running mapping app by unsecured Windows

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It’s always interesting when electronic billboards, kiosks, and other installations go haywire and show you the dark heart of Windows lurking underneath, but it’s even more fun when you can actually start poking around — and it looks like there’s a fair bit of poking to do in all those NYC taxis with backseat screens. According to Billy Chasen, dismissing the error notice with allow you to get to the Start menu, from which it’s trivial to run the Windows Connection Wizard, set up the Sprint broadband card, and start surfing away.

Billy could additionally browse the filesystem — which may or may not contain credit card details — and it looks like he even had suitable access to install any software he could find online. Hmmm, looks like there’s 1000 experience points waiting here for the first person to send in a photo of Engadget on one of these screens — with a 5000 point bonus whether it’s in Firefox.

 

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Orginal post by Nilay Patel

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    NYC taxis simply running mapping app by unsecured Windows

    Filed under:

    It’s always interesting when electronic billboards, kiosks, and other installations go haywire and show you the dark heart of Windows lurking underneath, but it’s even more fun when you can actually start poking around — and it looks like there’s a fair bit of poking to do in all those NYC taxis with backseat screens. According to Billy Chasen, dismissing the error notice with allow you to get to the Start menu, from which it’s trivial to run the Windows Connection Wizard, set up the Sprint broadband card, and start surfing away.

    Billy could additionally browse the filesystem — which may or may not contain credit card input — and it looks like he even had suitable access to install any software he could find online. Hmmm, looks like there’s 1000 experience points waiting here for the first person to send in a photo of Engadget on one of these screens — with a 5000 point bonus whether it’s in Firefox.

     

    Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments


    Orginal post by Nilay Patel

    Share and Enjoy: These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.
    • Digg
    • del.icio.us
    • Netvouz
    • DZone
    • ThisNext
    • MisterWong
    • Wists
    Related Articles
  • NYC taxis simply running mapping app by unsecured Windows
  • Beijing Taxis Bugged
  • My feedback for Microsoft’s mapping team
  • The unsecured Asus Eee PC, able to be rooted from the box
  • Beijing Plans To Fight Olympic Traffic with GPS
  • Allied Vehicles E7 Electric Taxi
  • iPhone running Windows Mobile 6? NOT!
  • Despite Bill Gates’ Comments, Windows 7 Due in 2010
  • FBI Warns Wi-Fi Users To Watch Out for Hackers
  • Wayfinder launch capability Search premium substance & mapping for iPhone
  • No comments yet. Be the first.

    Leave a reply