Subject:
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Off topic: secure channel to the RCX
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.robotics
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Date:
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Tue, 22 Feb 2000 09:17:28 GMT
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Original-From:
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Stephen P. Gibbons <STEVE@AZTECH.avoidspamNET>
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Viewed:
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746 times
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What follows in this message will probably appear quite strange
to many of the readers on this list, and I apologize in andvance,
and encourage you to delete/skip this message if it seems too
whacky.
It occured to me that one of my favorite toys, the Lego
RCX has a horribly insecure data/code transfer mechanism
(plaintext over IR), and that if I ever entered my constructed-
of-Lego robot into a contest with serious competition (like the
NSA, or more likeley some equally well funded coompetition
with furiners that were backed by their own government),
that I might lose the competition because they had subverted
my software on the robot, and replaced my wizardly coping-
with-mazes code with "follow the wall on your right side" code.
(Hopefully they at least optimized the RHR better than I have,
and I might see an improvement in the 'bot's performance... ;-)
What I'm proposing is exploring options for securing the IR
link to the RCX. The people that I think can contribute the
most are the alternate firmware developers for the RCX, but
I think that discussions that relate to how to protect your
robot from your kid sister are also appropriate for Lego
Robotics list.
Carried to its ultimate extreme, I think that the RCX +
suitably modified firmware could eventually reach the point
where it was classified as "munitions" by certain governments
and (while you may or may not agree with my political agenda)
I do think that most rational people would find that conclusion
to be silly, so please humor me.
Again, I did try to keep the subject somewhat on-topic, and
I do apologize if I've offended anyone's sensibilities. I've also
avoided CCing other lists (nameley cypherpunks and coderpunks,
so that I can get a better feel for the synergy on this topic before
flooding any list with off-topic replies to off-topic posts.)
In case I forgot to mention it, I really do apologize to the lego-
robotics list, in its entirety, if this message has been percieved
as being "off topic."
OTOH, if you do feel that what I've written is worthy of wider
distribution,
feel free to forward it on, or reply to directly to me, and I'll try to
post something suitable for that audience before my scheduled
time off.
--
S
"Paranoia strikes deep\ Into your heart it will creep\ It starts when
you're always afraid\ (Step outta line, the man come and take you away)"
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Message has 1 Reply:
 | | Re: Off topic: secure channel to the RCX
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| (...) :-))) Two ideas: 1) software protection: use legOS or pbForth or QC instead of standard firmware. 2) hardware protection: build a barrier of solid bricks around the IR receiver of your RCX to insulate it from intereferences. To be applied (...) (25 years ago, 22-Feb-00, to lugnet.robotics)
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