Michael Wheeler

TheSkorm – Hazard perception test hacking

HPT (Hazard Perception Test) is a test to test your reaction time for hazards when driving. It is required for Queensland drivers to take the test to move from a P1 to P2 licence. The test is taken online where you are shown several one minutes videos, and you must click on the hazard as soon as you spot it. I always like to play around with online systems testing security so I gave this setup a shot. I used the practice tests to see how the system worked, and it was pretty easy to work out a way to cheat the system (like most online exams).

Since it was encrypted using HTTPS Wireshark was out of the question, however this doesn’t mean you can’t still see what’s happening. I found a nice tool called “Live HTTP headers” which shows you all the requests. The first thing I noticed is that the videos are preloaded. You can see all the requested URLs in Live HTTP headers.

To watch one of the videos before taking the test, all you have to do is grab the URL for it (see the screenshot above) and paste that into a new tab. The videos seem to be able to be downloaded at least twice. You can then watch the videos, and then take the exam, and know exactly what’s in the exam / video.

It’s not overly hard to do, and actually quite fun.

The "Naked Cowboy" – hhsc/Greg

Good news, it seems like no more porn filter, but ISP level filtering will go ahead with child porn url dectection. :(

Email from the dbcbe

ISP FILTERING

Thank you for your correspondence and your interest in internet service provider (ISP) filtering.

Attached is information from the Minister on this matter. In addition, the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy has prepared material on a list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) regarding ISP filtering. This list is available on the Department’s website at www.dbcde.gov.au/cybersafetyplan

These FAQs will be updated regularly to provide you with the most up to date information on ISP filtering issues.

We hope this information is of assistance.

The Department of Broadband Communications and the Digital Economy

PDF attached

Fiber Optics – EL@Seattle

“As a key element of its plan for the future, the Australian Government has committed to provide up to $4.7 billion and to consider necessary regulatory changes to facilitate the roll-out of a new open access, high-speed, fibre-based broadband network, providing downlink speeds of at least 12 megabits per second to 98 per cent of Australian homes and businesses.”

I’m all for Australia have a good Broadband network, but I have two problems at the moment. Who will own this network and what about international links.

At the moment I can see Telstra being paid by the government to setup this network, and give them the rights to charge huge amounts of cash for other companies to use it. It’s currently $80 for 25GB on 1.5MBit, which for me seems way to much money, considering the internet isn’t owned or run by them. They are making profit out of others work, correct? (and for your information it costs $150 a gigabyte after you go over your limit)

It’s all great giving every household 12mbit down links, until you realize that, every household with 12mbit will wanna access and download from places off shore. Currently we struggle to provide internet over these links as is, and giving people more bandwidth to use that you don’t have is just bad practice.

There have been many cases where one fiber break offshore have caused our whole national network to run at 5kbs, with epic lag. This problem needs to be fixed up.

That is all.

religion – lanier67

Most people don’t understand that marriage is a religious ceremony. Religion should not be apart or change the laws that govern our country, although somehow people who are marriage can obtain government benefits in tax.

I don’t believe marriage should change anything to do with the law, tax or health benefits. People should treated separately and their should be benefits or loss for being a couple.