This content was created by Robert Siciliano. This content was uploaded by Robert Siciliano. This is a YouTube video titled "Hate filled flyers printing out of UMASS hacked PCs" — a Fox 25 news segment (live Boston report) created March 25, 2016. Reporter Jessica Reyes (with an on‑set anchor) covers incidents at Northeastern University and UMass Amherst where printers and fax machines printed hate-filled flyers; students react and the schools attribute the stunt to hackers. The piece includes comments from a student, university statements condemning the act, and security expert Robert Siciliano, who explains that networked printers with IP addresses can be vulnerable and suggests printers/fax machines may have been on a separate network. The schools say private student information was not accessed.
Well, hate-filled flyers have popped up on the printers at two local universities, and now the schools are blaming hackers. Fox 25's Jessica Reyes live outside Northeastern University, where this stunt is sparking security concerns. Jess, good morning.
It certainly is, Gene. Good morning to you. This happened not only here at Northeastern University but over at UMass Amherst as well yesterday. Now, both schools say they have fixed the problem and stopped these hate-filled messages from pouring out of their printers, but even so, students at both schools have a lot of questions about this, and they want to know how this all happened. In the first place. I don't understand what that accomplishes. Northeastern students disturbed to learn about hate-filled messages that poured from printers and fax machines on the school's campus Thursday. The university blames hackers for getting into their system and tells us their IT security experts resolved the whole thing quickly, but students here are wondering why it happened at all. I'm kind of offended. I didn't know about this before. The flyers also showed up on printers and fax machines at UMass Amherst Thursday morning.
I don't think it should be tolerated on a campus like this where people should feel free Of course, they should feel safe and free to do what they want and like without feeling in danger.
The chancellor of UMass Amherst sent a message out to students saying, "We condemn this hateful and cowardly act. This despicable incident reminds us that we must not be complacent as we continue to strive for a society where everyone feels safe and welcome." We spoke to security expert Robert Siciliano about the whole thing, who says everyone has to take extra caution to keep themselves safe from hackers.
Anything with an IP address can be accessed and if there are vulnerabilities in that device, then yes, in fact, they can be hacked.
That includes wireless printers. That means if anyone from anywhere can get past the device's firewall, they can have unlimited access to the system. The schools haven't said how they think these people may have gotten past the firewalls, but Siciliano says he thinks he may have an idea.
The printers and the fax machines may be on a separate system than other, maybe more critical assets.
Now, fortunately, private student information wasn't accessed in either case, and of course, for security reasons, neither school could comment on how they think these people got past their firewalls. Live in Boston this morning, I'm Jessica Reyes, Fox 25 News.
