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After default password disclosed online, 1200 inmates have prison issued laptops seized by guards, threatening their ability to make class deadlines (www.opencampusmedia.org)

submitted 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) by gAlienLifeform@lemmy.world to c/technology@lemmy.world

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Zhang, an electrical engineer in Boston, decided to post about trying to unlock his Justice Tech Solutions Securebook 5 on the social platform X. The thread went viral — also catching the attention of Washington corrections officials, who have used the device for college programming since 2020.

Of particular concern was an article about Zhang’s thread published on a hacker website that shared the default password for the underlying software that starts the laptop’s operating system, presenting what the Department of Corrections considered a security concern.

The department then announced Thursday, five days after Zhang’s viral post, that it would collect all secure laptops from incarcerated students statewide “to provide an immediate system update.” By Saturday, corrections staff had collected around 1,200 laptops, spokesperson Chris Wright said in an email.

Wright confirmed no one incarcerated in Washington prisons had attempted to unlock their devices but said the decision was “made out of an abundance of caution.” It wasn’t immediately clear whether other states whose corrections departments use Securebook 5 laptops have also pulled the devices.

Archived at https://ghostarchive.org/archive/LS3co

e; updated the title due to popular demand

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[–] LazaroFilm@lemmy.world 104 points 8 months ago (22 children)

They didn’t lose their laptop. They got taken to be updated because of a security breach

[–] quindraco@lemm.ee 8 points 8 months ago (1 children)

There was no security breach. Did you even read the summary, let alone the article? There wasn't even an attempted breach.

[–] LazaroFilm@lemmy.world -4 points 8 months ago (1 children)

There is a breach as he released the default password, but no one attempted to breach it, as in no one tried to use the default password on their computer. Did you even try to understand what you read?

[–] Ajen@sh.itjust.works 5 points 8 months ago

It's a vulnerability, not a breach. As you pointed out, no one attempted to breach it.

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