• Zer0_F0x@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    78
    arrow-down
    5
    ·
    edit-2
    4 months ago

    Damn. This must be one of the most terrifying cyber attacks of all time. Like, Mr. Robot level of breach and execution.

    In that show they rig the UPS batteries of server buildings to blow up, this is basically the same idea on a smaller scale.

    Either that, or they compromised the manufacturer of the pagers and put small explosive devices in there. Truly legendary and insane.

    • naturlychee@lemm.ee
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      84
      ·
      edit-2
      4 months ago

      no way it was just the batteries.

      batteries burn but don’t detonate with shrapnel

      it was altered devices with explosives added.

      • Nightwind@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        39
        ·
        4 months ago

        Yeah they got into the supply route and added c4 to all those pagers. Makes me wonder how many pagers or smartphones have added explosives still.

        • Aceticon@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          2
          ·
          edit-2
          4 months ago

          There are several reports that the devices were made with the explosives built-in.

          According to the spokesperson of the Taiwanese brand in a press conference, those were all devices produced by a Hungarian licensee of the brand.

          Hungary, you know, been voting with Israel in the UN and also has a Fascist government which is massivelly racist against Arabs.

          Kind makes sense that those things were manufactured in a country very friendly of Israel and with their authorization, already with the explosis built-in.

          The interesting second and third level effects to consider of this are around the impact on things like Globalization (if having to start paying attention to the alliances of the countries the stuff you buy comes from the places which are part of a supply chain stop being irrelevant) and even brand licensing (that Taiwanese company will have their name pop-up associated with this in every single internet search from now on)

          Also curious about what will this to to “Made in EU” - Hungary might just have screwed the rest of us much more than ever before.

      • cm0002@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        6
        arrow-down
        14
        ·
        4 months ago

        Shrapnel, no, but Lithium-Ion does explode. Especially on a full charge

            • RubberDuck@lemmy.world
              link
              fedilink
              English
              arrow-up
              22
              ·
              4 months ago

              Cool video. But that looks like what I expected. The videos of the pagers are small direct explosions and not really the heavy flame and smoke of the videos.

              That powerbank in the bus… whoa… and those guys with the ebike in the elevator… stuff of nightmares.

              • Ilovethebomb@lemm.ee
                link
                fedilink
                English
                arrow-up
                4
                arrow-down
                2
                ·
                4 months ago

                Yeah, being trapped in a lift with a burning Ebike battery sounds like not much fun at all.

        • rhandyrhoads@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          4
          ·
          4 months ago

          As someone who’s accidentally punctured a large lithium ion battery with 100% charge I can tell you that explode isn’t exactly the right word. While I’m sure you could create an enclosure that could explode from the pressure, the battery itself just kinda shoots out a small jet of fire along with some toxic gas.

    • Encrypt-Keeper@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      20
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      4 months ago

      Probably not. It was almost certainly the case that these pagers were already connected to explosives, probably to be IEDs. All Israel would have had to do is page the pagers to detonate them. I can’t think of any other logical explanation.

      • peopleproblems@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        18
        arrow-down
        1
        ·
        4 months ago

        I don’t think the thousands of pagers built this way really count as “improvised.”

        That being said, it makes me wonder if this went in any way according to plan - 8 deaths and 2750 injuries is a large scale attack, don’t get me wrong. But they’ve now announced Mossad has compromised the supplier of the pager, which they will undoubtedly audit, and instill new policies on device security. I wouldn’t be surprised if that means they discover a lot more compromised electronics, allowing Hezbollah to pinpoint the compromise. Because 2750 survived, you now have 2750 people very interested in finding it.

        In all, for 8 deaths, they’ve made their own work harder.

        That being said 2750 injuries could be a large enough number to scare members out of the org.

      • Scolding7300@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        2
        ·
        4 months ago

        If those pagers had explosives, I wonder if the explosives were put there as a sabotage or for “destroy if found” functionality

        • Encrypt-Keeper@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          4
          arrow-down
          2
          ·
          4 months ago

          Perhaps the latter? My first thought is still that the pagers intended use was for triggering explosives, and they were simply triggered early by the other side.

          • Eheran@lemmy.world
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            2
            ·
            4 months ago

            You would not put it inside the pager if you want to use it as a trigger. You would also not ready-make thousands of those and let thousands of people carry them around.

    • Doorbook@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      6
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      4 months ago

      I am surprised the name of the manufacture is not out. This basically raise privacy concern.

      • Aceticon@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        2
        ·
        4 months ago

        They were on TV over here (Portugal) doing a press conference were they explained the devices were made in Hungary by a company which licensed the brand name from them (a Taiwanese company) so the manufacturer’s name (which I totally forgot) is definitely out.