A 19-year-old Brooklyn student effortlessly hacked ViaLock’s “unhackable” system during a company-hosted hackathon.
ViaLock, a leading provider of physical security, high-end surveillance, and alarm systems, recently set out to prove the strength of its latest security offering with a company-hosted hackathon. The goal? To showcase that their new system was “unhackable.” Unfortunately for ViaLock, a 19-year-old student from Brooklyn stumbled upon the event, saw a sign outside, and decided to join in—just for fun.
In less than an hour, the student cracked the system wide open, exposing numerous vulnerabilities in what was supposed to be the company’s crown jewel of security. ViaLock executives, who had hoped to use the event as a show of force, were left red-faced as their cutting-edge system folded faster than the event’s free snacks.
While ViaLock reassured attendees that this was all part of the plan, their hastily delivered promises seemed as unconvincing as their “unhackable” system. The company, which has recently expanded its operations globally, may now need to revisit the drawing board—and perhaps update their hiring policy to include Brooklyn students.