[SGVLUG] [OT] (somewhat) -- "hackers" change a road-sign in Texas...

[Emerson, Tom (*IC)]

Details in the link below, but the gist of it is that some "hackers"
physically broke-into one of the electronic road signs you see near
construction sites and the like [they cut the padlock] and changed the
wording to be something humorous instead of "expect delays - Feb 1 to
Feb 5" or something equally dull.

Buried in the sub-text of the article is the fact that they also
"logically" broke in [brute-forced or simply guessed at a "standard"
password] to the computer that controlled the display, and in so doing
committed a computer crime that is considered a "class C misdemeanor" --
further, the contention is made that they "endangered public safety"
[despite the fact that by changing the sign, roadside traffic cameras
confirmed that traffic slowed to read the sign -- I'm guessing more than
they would have if the sign were un-altered]

http://www.kxan.com/dpp/news/Road_signs_warn_of_zombies