Polish article

From https://lemmy.world/post/9227800

Train manufacturer intentionally bricks trains serviced by independent service providers

Polish train manufacturer that lost servicing tender programmed train controller to brick itself after train stays for some time in 6 ISP facilities or in 1 their faculity(for testing?) until undocumented button combination is pressed. Some controller versions brick itself after train is idle for 10 days. After news about this became public, manufacturer removed ability to unlock train by button combination.

Also manufacturer is able to remotely brick train over internet(connected via GSM) at any time.

A polish hacker found out why trains did stop working. The manufacterer implemented a hidden electronic switch, which automatically activated after trains were serviced by a different company.

Polish train manufacturer that lost servicing tender programmed train controller to brick itself after train stays for some time in 6 ISP facilities or in 1 their faculity(for testing?) until undocumented button combination is pressed. Some controller versions brick itself after train is idle for 10 days. After news about this became public, manufacturer removed ability to unlock train by button combination.

Also manufacturer is able to remotely brick train over internet(connected via GSM) at any time.

Full versions: Polish(original), Russian

Bisschen nerdig, aber durchaus mit Bahnbezug und ziemlich spannend:

We (@redford, @mrtick and I) have reverse engineered the PLC code of NEWAG Impuls EMUs. These trains were locking up for arbitrary reasons after being serviced at third-party workshops.

Beim kommenden Chaos Communication Congress wird es dazu ebenfalls einen Talk geben und auch drüben bei HN wird fleißig diskutiert.

There is a discussion on Hacker News, but feel free to comment here as well.