Microsoft, long a bastion of computer security, has finally been bested by the finest mind in computer hacking: a five-year-old trying to play age-inappropriate games on his dad’s Xbox.
Yes, it took this expert’s most extreme level of hacking skill (which he presumably picked up from his dad, who actually works in computer security) to get around the Xbox’s airtight security measures.
When he tried to guess his dad’s password and couldn’t get in (I guess “mykidisadamngenius” didn’t work), Kristoffer Von Hassel, who I’m guessing was named after the villain from a 1980s hacking movie, was greeted with a password verification screen.
Faced with a complete stone wall of security, Von Hassel had no choice but to make a last ditch effort and input not just one, but several blank spaces. The risky maneuver allowed him to enter a backdoor into his father’s Xbox account and play any game he wanted without having to worry about 90% of the gaming industry being completely inappropriate for him.
I mean, the news is calling it a “backdoor,” but if that was really all it took, it’s a front door at best. Or a screen door. Or, just a giant, door-shaped opening with a bunch of neon signs pointing in. Seriously, Microsoft, he’s five. This is basically like those prompts that ask you to “authenticate” things without even needing a password.
Don’t feel too bad, though. This isn’t even the first time Von Hassel has found a security hole. He got around a cell phone’s lock screen at the age of 1 according to his parents. When Skynet goes live and judgment day comes, you’re going to want this kid around is all I’m saying.
Microsoft thanked the mini hacker by adding him to their list of security researchers that help make their online services more secure, offering him four free games, giving him $50, and setting him up with a one year subscription to Xbox live (probably so he can help them debug it).
(via Kotaku and ABC 10News, image via ABC 10News)
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