https://www.techdirt.com/2023/12/27/polish-indie-repair-shops-had-to-hire-hackers-to-tackle-pointless-train-crippling-drm/ [ ] Techdirt. [ ] * Sign In * Register * Preferences Techdirt [ ] * TechDirt * GreenHouse * Free Speech * Error 402 * Deals * Jobs * Support Techdirt [podcast-ti] Fifth Circuit Tells Wrongly Convicted Woman She Can't Sue Over Obvious Judicial Fuckery Utah Finally Sued Over Its Obviously Unconstitutional Social Media 'But Think Of The Kids!' Law Polish Indie Repair Shops Had To Hire Hackers To Tackle Pointless, Train-Crippling DRM [uses-of-te] (Mis)Uses of Technology from the fix-your-own-shit dept Wed, Dec 27th 2023 05:27am - Karl Bode One reason that "right to repair" reform has such broad, bipartisan public support is because there's really no aspect of your daily life that isn't touched by it. The effort to monopolize repair isn't just the territory of Apple or game console makers like Sony and Microsoft. The problem is present in everything from the agricultural and medical gear sectors, to transportation. Everywhere you look you have companies attempting to drive independent repair shops out of business, in turn creating numerous headaches while they drive up costs for consumers. Then, whenever absolutely anybody proposes doing anything about their attempt to monopolize repair, these companies will complain critics are putting consumer security, privacy, or safety at risk. It's clockwork. The latest case in point: 404 Media noticed that over in Poland, one regional rail company and a train manufacturer named NEWAG has taken to using DRM to lock down trains that are repaired by independent technicians, in a bid to both monopolize -- and drive up the costs of repair. The intentionally broken tractors disrupted rail travel, so independent technicians took to hiring a white hat hacking group dubbed Dragon Sector to bypass the DRM and get the trains running again: "These trains were locking up for arbitrary reasons after being serviced at third-party workshops. The manufacturer argued that this was because of malpractice by these workshops, and that they should be serviced by them instead of third parties," Bazanski, who goes by the handle q3k, posted on Mastodon. "After a certain update by NEWAG, the cabin controls would also display scary messages about copyright violations if the human machine interface detected a subset of conditions that should've engaged the lock but the train was still operational. The trains also had a GSM telemetry unit that was broadcasting lock conditions, and in some cases appeared to be able to lock the train remotely." Again, manufacturers aren't doing this to genuinely protect hardware or customer security and safety (though executives may have convinced themselves of such). They're doing it because they're obsessed with control, and because they want a monopoly on repair. And, as always, the folks trying to bypass the unnecessary, self-serving restrictions are framed by industry as radical rabble-rousers and a threat to public safety: "Hacking IT systems is a violation of many legal provisions and a threat to railway traffic safety," NEWAG added. "We do not know who interfered with the train control software, using what methods and what qualifications. We also notified the Office of Rail Transport about this so that it could decide to withdraw from service the sets subjected to the activities of unknown hackers." The problem for companies following this path is that the widespread, bipartisan support for right to repair reform is only growing. The more companies try to fight back, the bigger the opposition gets. That's a major reason why companies like Apple and Microsoft (at least publicly), have begun softening their rhetoric and started focusing on controlling the contours of potential legislative reforms. Filed Under: consumer rights, drm, freedom to tinker, independent repair shops, poland, trains Companies: newag 11 CommentsLeave a Comment If you liked this post, you may also be interested in... * Tesla Lied To Customers, Blaming Them For Shoddy Parts The Company Knew Were Defective * Judge Allows Major 'Right To Repair' Lawsuit Against John Deere To Move Forward * Senator Markey Sends Automakers A Letter Criticizing Their Nonexistent Privacy Standards * Carmakers Push Forward With Plans To Make Basic Features Subscription Services, Despite Widespread Backlash * Canada Inches Closer To 'Right To Repair' Reform * * * * * * * * * * * Rate this comment as insightful Rate this comment as funny You have rated this comment as insightful You have rated this comment as funny Flag this comment as abusive/trolling/spam You have flagged this comment The first word has already been claimed The last word has already been claimed Lightbulb icon Laughing icon Flag icon Lightbulb icon Laughing icon Comments on "Polish Indie Repair Shops Had To Hire Hackers To Tackle Pointless, Train-Crippling DRM" Subscribe: RSS Leave a comment * Filter comments in by Time * Filter comments as Threaded * Filter only comments rated Insightful * Filter only comments rated funny LOL * Filter only comments that are Unread 11 Comments Collapse all replies [a4dda677b9]Ninja says: December 27, 2023 at 5:48 am There's a more fundamental problem here that is the concept of property. The fact that companies feel comfortable messing with your property without your authorization and preventing you from using it as you see fit should be absolutely terrifying. Can you imagine the real estate you bought your house from arbitrarily deciding to lock your house because you didn't call their repair crew to fix some pipe leak? Yeah. Collapse replies (1) Reply View in chronology Make this comment the first word Make this comment the last word Threaded [2] [61938bf6ac]Anonymous Coward says: December 27, 2023 at 12:37 pm Re: The Polish train operator could've responded with almost exactly the same statement: "Hacking IT systems is a violation of many legal provisions and a threat to railway traffic safety..." I had to re-read it more carefully to see that NEWAG, who wrote that statement, was the manufacturer and not the operator. Reply View in chronology Make this comment the first word Make this comment the last word [user-default]GHB (profile) says: December 27, 2023 at 6:07 am NEWAG, more like NE-WANG https://youtu.be/w8NqBXT6Kos?si=jcX3v4voe8oNJKM_ Collapse replies (3) Reply View in chronology Make this comment the first word Make this comment the last word Threaded [2] [user-default]GHB (profile) says: December 27, 2023 at 6:10 am Re: Ransomware, but by a company A software that locks up an entire device smells like a ransomware. Collapse replies (2) Reply View in chronology Make this comment the first word Make this comment the last word Threaded [3] [user-default]GHB (profile) says: December 27, 2023 at 6:15 am Re: Re: Espically the fact it locks up the device, and demands a payment to unlock. Digital rights malware Reply View in chronology Make this comment the first word Make this comment the last word Threaded [3] [026dfa4ce7]Anonymous Coward says: December 27, 2023 at 6:36 am Re: Re: RAAS Ransomware as a Service Reply View in chronology Make this comment the first word Make this comment the last word [user-default]Who Cares (profile) says: December 27, 2023 at 9:41 am Don't forget the undocumented GSM modem hidden in a deliberately mislabeled electrical component through which at least some of the trains got an update to the "brick the train if it stands still for 14 days"-command to "brick the train if it stands still for 14 days in these geo-fenced areas"-command. Newag even had the chutzpah to complain to Poland's former minister of digital affairs (Janusz Cieszynski) that they had been attacked by cybercriminals. Janusz reaction boiled down: "I actually understand this and the evidence suggests nothing of what you are claiming." Collapse replies (2) Reply View in chronology Make this comment the first word Make this comment the last word Threaded [2] [4eff846417]Anonymous Coward says: December 27, 2023 at 9:52 am Re: Wait really? I hadn't read about the modem. Collapse replies (1) Reply View in chronology Make this comment the first word Make this comment the last word Threaded [3] [user-default]Who Cares (profile) says: December 27, 2023 at 10:02 am Re: Re: From here, where someone did a summary of the presentation. https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/ accusations-that-newag-pl-is-intentionally-making-its-trains-fail.258894 /#post-6530155 Reply View in chronology Make this comment the first word Make this comment the last word [a6c9b32329]Anonymous Coward says: December 27, 2023 at 12:37 pm The dmca dies not apply in Poland Just like when the maker of one GPS app cracked Android Auto to allow their GPS app to work in Android auto Because they are in Slovenia they are not subject to prosecution in the United States. They are only subject to Slovenian laws. American laws do not apply to Slovenian companies. Collapse replies (1) Reply View in chronology Make this comment the first word Make this comment the last word Threaded [2] [user-default]Who Cares (profile) says: December 27, 2023 at 1:38 pm Re: Uh what are you blathering about? There is nothing here about the DMCA. Are you really trying to claim that only the USA has copyright(s) and enforcement of said rights? Never heard of the Berne Convention and the various revisions and add-ons to it negotiated over time? Reply View in chronology Make this comment the first word Make this comment the last word --------------------------------------------------------------------- says: Add Your Comment Cancel reply Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked * Have a Techdirt Account? Sign in now. Want one? Register here Name [ ] Email [ ] [ ]Subscribe to the Techdirt Daily newsletter URL [ ] Subject [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] Comment * [ ] Comment Options: (*)Use markdown. ( )Use plain text. 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