To expand on Greg's concern in a different direction, how about when hackers break into the guns (because it WILL happen) and remotely pull the trigger. If the authorization and fire command is all in software, it will get hacked and they WILL be firing unattended, or while in your holster.
Apr 18, 2023·edited Apr 18, 2023Liked by Open Source Defense
That's my prediction for the bear case: script kiddies and NDs as far as the eye can see...or, you know, "script kiddies (ahem)," and then demands to "do something!" after the rash of NDs, and then a retrofitted* kill switch for your software-mediated firearm.
*Maybe...or maybe the back door was there all along.
Greg hit this before I did, but my first thoughts were, "And then the government turned off all of the guns..." And let's say they aren't on a network and can't be turned off. What if you starved an area for power and the guns couldn't be charged or provided with whatever power source they needed? Or, to swim deeper down the dystopian conspiracy hole - EMP to not only cripple an area of society, but to shut off their weapons! It gets juicier and juicier how this tech could be turned against the user. And the next thing you know, a whole group of society is making homemade firearms like the ones used in Brazilian favelas.
"People pay a lot of money for fancy triggers today. How about a trigger that can be programmed to have any weight, any number of stages, any feel to the break? And the ability to change all of that anytime you want, or even from shot to shot."
I want to say that already exists with Digital Trigger Technologies, which of course, they say they are NOT Smart Gun tech. I'm not entirely convinced because we can see this just over the horizon.
Regarding the "Smart Gun", Could the software be controlled from an outside source preventing it from operation? Might be outlandish, but it makes me think of the truckers in Canada that had their bank accounts frozen. Not a fan, too many reasons to make me say no.
Airbus aircraft have been mostly 100% fly-by-wire since the A320 was launched in 1984. If they’ve ever been hacked, it’s been the best-kept secret on Earth.
“Get ready for a court case about whether possession of a machine gun download is a felony.”
Given the recent track record of the ATF and states like California, expect some government entity to try to ban any “fire-by-wire” technology. If not, then they’ll certainly attempt to strictly control it. After all, the California Legislature is currently considering a bill that would criminalize the possession of almost all 3D printers--except for state-licensed operators. Expect the same with smart gun tech.
To expand on Greg's concern in a different direction, how about when hackers break into the guns (because it WILL happen) and remotely pull the trigger. If the authorization and fire command is all in software, it will get hacked and they WILL be firing unattended, or while in your holster.
That's my prediction for the bear case: script kiddies and NDs as far as the eye can see...or, you know, "script kiddies (ahem)," and then demands to "do something!" after the rash of NDs, and then a retrofitted* kill switch for your software-mediated firearm.
*Maybe...or maybe the back door was there all along.
Greg hit this before I did, but my first thoughts were, "And then the government turned off all of the guns..." And let's say they aren't on a network and can't be turned off. What if you starved an area for power and the guns couldn't be charged or provided with whatever power source they needed? Or, to swim deeper down the dystopian conspiracy hole - EMP to not only cripple an area of society, but to shut off their weapons! It gets juicier and juicier how this tech could be turned against the user. And the next thing you know, a whole group of society is making homemade firearms like the ones used in Brazilian favelas.
"People pay a lot of money for fancy triggers today. How about a trigger that can be programmed to have any weight, any number of stages, any feel to the break? And the ability to change all of that anytime you want, or even from shot to shot."
I want to say that already exists with Digital Trigger Technologies, which of course, they say they are NOT Smart Gun tech. I'm not entirely convinced because we can see this just over the horizon.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZVUSup5BvM
Regarding the "Smart Gun", Could the software be controlled from an outside source preventing it from operation? Might be outlandish, but it makes me think of the truckers in Canada that had their bank accounts frozen. Not a fan, too many reasons to make me say no.
That's definitely a risk depending on how it's designed. Will dive into that next week in the bear case.
Airbus aircraft have been mostly 100% fly-by-wire since the A320 was launched in 1984. If they’ve ever been hacked, it’s been the best-kept secret on Earth.
Not having any external network connection helps.
It has been done on a 738. Hacker got access to several components of the flight management system via the plane’s internal network. https://www.wired.com/2015/05/feds-say-banned-researcher-commandeered-plane/
Requiring physical access to be hacked definitely reduces your attack surface. It remains to be seen if these devices will commit to that approach.
“Get ready for a court case about whether possession of a machine gun download is a felony.”
Given the recent track record of the ATF and states like California, expect some government entity to try to ban any “fire-by-wire” technology. If not, then they’ll certainly attempt to strictly control it. After all, the California Legislature is currently considering a bill that would criminalize the possession of almost all 3D printers--except for state-licensed operators. Expect the same with smart gun tech.