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The 7 Coolest Hacks Of 2011

Kelly Jackson Higgins

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Evil insulin pumps and laptop batteries, war texting, and a 'tween' hacker captured our imagination -- and our attention

Kelly Jackson Higgins December 27, 2011

Some hacks are epic not merely for their significance in IT security, but for their sheer creativity and novelty. They're those in-your-face hacks that both entertain and educate, and crack those things we take for granted in our everyday lives.

For the fifth year in a row, Dark Reading has compiled an end-of-the-year list of the coolest hacks executed by those imaginative, inquisitive, and resourceful hackers who dare to go the distance to try some of the most unique -- and sometimes bizarre -- hacks.

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Some of this year's coolest hacks are downright chilling in that they could mean life or death, like the ones that tampered with the dosage dispensed by popular insulin pumps, or that remotely shut down the power on industrial control systems that run power plants. Others were both charming and precocious, like the 10-year-old hacker who found a major flaw in her favorite mobile gaming app after getting bored and looking for a way to progress further with it.

So grab a cup of eggnog, kick back by the fireplace, and time-travel back -- to some of the coolest hacks of the year.

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Kelly Jackson Higgins

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News Advanced Threats

The 7 Coolest Hacks Of 2011

Evil insulin pumps and laptop batteries, war texting, and a 'tween' hacker captured our imagination -- and our attention

More Security Insights

White Papers

Reports

Webcasts

Related Reading

Dark Reading Discussions

Start the Discussion

Follow Dark Reading

Dark Reading Reports

Advanced Persistent Threats: The New Reality

Trends In Mobile Device Threats

Heading Off Advanced Social Engineering Attacks

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Whitepapers

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Dark Reading Digital Magazine

In This Issue

News Advanced Threats

The 7 Coolest Hacks Of 2011

Evil insulin pumps and laptop batteries, war texting, and a 'tween' hacker captured our imagination -- and our attention

More Security Insights

White Papers

Reports

Webcasts

Related Reading

Dark Reading Discussions

Start the Discussion

Follow Dark Reading

Dark Reading Reports

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