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Washington State University police are trying to find out who hijacked the school’s computer system last Friday and broadcast on classroom video screens throughout the day a bizarre rant by someone wearing a “V for Vendetta” costume.

The hacker took over the large video screens in 34 classrooms in two buildings on the Pullman, Washington, campus, Tom Ambrosi, WSU chief information security officer, told CNET today. “They played the video once an hour throughout the day,” until campus employees managed to shut it off shortly before 5 p.m. PST.

The video duplicates a scene in the movie “V for Vendetta” in which a masked vigilante broadcasts his anti-government message on British television. The WSU incident took place on November 5, which was Guy Fawkes Night, named in honor of a conspirator in a plot to assassinate King James I and blow up the UK Houses of Parliament in 1605.




  1. Publius says:

    Wasted a good 3 minutes by not saying or doing anything of note when the opportunity became available despite brilliantly acquiring the platform to do so.

    I guess what I am feeling is not unlike the regret that so many Obama voters probably feel.

  2. George says:

    Really great pranks are entertaining and not annoying. This fails on both counts.

  3. May the Farce Be with You says:

    It is about time that Western stylish hats, capes, and long hair came back to protest video.

    After viewing smelly, unkempt, diaper-headed Middle-Eastern crackpots, this presentation is refreshing.

  4. TooManyPuppies says:

    What a waste. If you’re gonna do it, do it right:

  5. Li says:

    That’s all kinds of awesome. Beware the squirrels!

  6. admfubar says:

    sounds like someone is planning a free software event for next nov 5.

    hhmmm
    could it be that wsu (or is it supposed to be uws ?? )is in the backyard of redmond???
    sounds like someones shiny new ms based computer systems got p0wned.
    all your bits belong to us!

  7. The Pirate says:

    Large words.
    Small thinking.
    Zero message.

    Yeah, your University has let you down.
    Sue their ass.

  8. eggman9713 says:

    I have some friends who still go to WSU and found out it went beyond using the classroom screens. They broadcast the message using the campus wide emergency audio notification system as well.

    As an alum, I definitely agree that the IT department tended (and apparently still is) to be somewhat incompetent when it comes to basic network security for anything of low-priority, including the classroom systems. The high priority systems like payroll, grades, etc. are pretty well locked down, but this is just laughable.

  9. Cursor_ says:

    #4

    Nah that wasn’t much better in content.

    Either way, both examples lost the real chance to make something good out of it.

    Good hacking, poor message.

    Oh Well.

    Cursor_

  10. Rider says:

    Seriously they don’t realize that is not a “V for Vendetta” costume?

  11. anonymous says:

    We are legion

  12. Dale says:

    Looks like a chick behind the mask to me, and she appeared to be only acting out the words..Agree with those that said it was a waste of time…The production and hack were a waste of time all around. – betcha that’s a girl on camera..


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