Our computer nerd is better than your computer nerd...

[Dog in the Know]

<span class="BIGblk">MSU Computer Science Student Uncovers Major Software Flaw</span>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><span class="content14"><font face="Times New Roman, serif">STARKVILLE, Miss. -- A Mississippi State graduate student working with the university"s Critical Infrastructure Protection Center could be nicknamed "Johnny-on-the spot."
Robert W. "Wes" McGrew of Collinsville recently discovered what is being called "a significant software vulnerability" that could allow hackers the ability to gain entry to computer control systems of
numerous industries and potentially threaten national security.
Center director Ray Vaughn said the computer science doctoral student found serious flaws in software commonly used in worldwide nuclear power and oil and gas industries.
"We know that this software exists in very critical infrastructures in the U.S.," said Vaughn. "Through his research, Wes demonstrated how it was possible to obtain unauthorized access to the control system
in just a few seconds.
"He then discovered how to break every encoded password in the system and how to bypass password security altogether," Vaughn added.
The National Security Agency was notified immediately of McGrew's discovery. Shortly thereafter, the Department of Homeland Security broadcast an alert that included information on how to rectify the
problem.
"Wes is one of the most technical students we have and a real asset to the department of computer science and engineering," Vaughn observed. "He now also has proven himself to be an asset to the
federal government."
McGrew, the son of Robert and Vickie McGrew, received MSU bachelor's and master"s degrees in computer science in 2002 and 2005, respectively.
The Critical Infrastructure Protection Center is part of MSU's Bagley College of Engineering.</font></span></p>

 

[Dog in the Know]

<span class="BIGblk">MSU Computer Science Student Uncovers Major Software Flaw</span>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><span class="content14"><font face="Times New Roman, serif">STARKVILLE, Miss. -- A Mississippi State graduate student working with the university"s Critical Infrastructure Protection Center could be nicknamed "Johnny-on-the spot."
Robert W. "Wes" McGrew of Collinsville recently discovered what is being called "a significant software vulnerability" that could allow hackers the ability to gain entry to computer control systems of
numerous industries and potentially threaten national security.
Center director Ray Vaughn said the computer science doctoral student found serious flaws in software commonly used in worldwide nuclear power and oil and gas industries.
"We know that this software exists in very critical infrastructures in the U.S.," said Vaughn. "Through his research, Wes demonstrated how it was possible to obtain unauthorized access to the control system
in just a few seconds.
"He then discovered how to break every encoded password in the system and how to bypass password security altogether," Vaughn added.
The National Security Agency was notified immediately of McGrew's discovery. Shortly thereafter, the Department of Homeland Security broadcast an alert that included information on how to rectify the
problem.
"Wes is one of the most technical students we have and a real asset to the department of computer science and engineering," Vaughn observed. "He now also has proven himself to be an asset to the
federal government."
McGrew, the son of Robert and Vickie McGrew, received MSU bachelor's and master"s degrees in computer science in 2002 and 2005, respectively.
The Critical Infrastructure Protection Center is part of MSU's Bagley College of Engineering.</font></span></p>

 

[saddawg]

[No message]

 

[Mjoelner]

ole bank account THEN called them.

 

[Sarc Dawg]

nm

 

[Porkchop.sixpack]

is going to put out a hit on him. I mean, only one guy knows how to hack into those systems. Once he is gone, all is safe?

 

[HammerOfTheDogs]

Nothing to see here...move on.

 

[Xenomorph]

</p>

 

[orbitdawg]

Very bright guy as you might suspect but is the stereotypical computer nerd. I don't know what his plans are for the future but I wouldn't be surprised if he just went straight into teaching after receiving his doctorate.

Also, Dr. Vaughn is doing tremendous things at with State's engineering department. He is putting alot of students into national security jobs with the cia, nsa, fbi, etc. Additionally, they run digital forensic classes several times a semester for many of the state's police and sheriff's departments. You typically don't hear much about it since its a relatively small part of the engineering school but its pretty cool nonetheless.</p>

 

[gtowndawg]

yuku

 

[fishwater99]

Nice one Saddawg...

Is that a Scratch and Sniff Snatch??</p>

 

[wmcgrew]

You guys are awesome.

I was thinking of teaching when I was your T.A., orbitdawg, but I'm pretty much on a solid path to the private sector at the moment.

If you fine young gentlemen want to keep up with what I'm up to, I try to keep things rolling on my own site: mcgrewsecurity.com . I like to break stuff.

 

[HD6]

that determines the quality of posting by the username chosen? Because you could save me a lot of time and effort?

Did I spell algorithm right?

 

[DovaDawg]

Crap...you can't tell what porn sites I have been looking at can you? Cause that thing with the horse was just an accident.

 

[cowbell9]

nm

 

[wmcgrew]

Crap...you can't tell what porn sites I have been looking at can you? Cause that thing with the horse was just an accident.

I spent the rest of that day just trying to wipe all the evidence of that.</p>

Some things I can't even make a computer un-see.
</p>

 

[Bulldog from Birth]

I think i know this guy. I think he goes by the name, Weasel. He lived down the hall from me in Hightower. He kicked our butt in Quake, Halflife, and all those other games we all played way too much.

BFB

 

[DovaDawg]

Nice catch on the software flaw. Good to see a fellow Dawg making a contribution.

So you can probably hack the new jumbotron when up and running? Because I got some ideas.

 

[Croomp]

Nice catch on the software flaw. Good to see a fellow Dawg making a contribution.

So you can probably hack the new jumbotron when up and running? Because I got some ideas.

that would be great for someone to man up and do that. maybe the pregames would be better and the entrances.</p>

 

[dawgoneyall]

.

 

[xxxWalkTheDawg]

that determines the quality of posting by the username chosen? Because you could save me a lot of time and effort?

Did I spell algorithm right?

</p>

Hell that's easy. why didn't you say something before?

cout << "Enter your username here" << username <<;
if ("Walkthedawg")
{ cout << "quality poster"<<;
}
else
{ cout << "you = fail" <<;
}
return 0;</p>

</p>

be advised that that is just how it would look. I would have to blow the dust off that old C++ textbook (that I bought that semester before I realized that computer programming would turn me into a person that would constantly throw computers out the window) to write the program. A fair and reasonable fee will be required of course.
</p>

 

[SwampDawg]

d

 

[FireworksForJeffy]

Well, it is a company out of Laurel, maybe it is C++...

 

[dawgstudent]

smartass to you but I bet you could completely shut down this site.

 

[saltybulldog]

The very guys who in most cases were picked on in high school and apparently even college could ruin your life with a few keystrokes. And am not talking about taking away anyone's Sixpack privileges.

You should get this guy to screw with NAFOOM.

 

[MSUCE99]

<span class="content14"><font face="Times New Roman, serif">Center director Ray Vaughn said the computer science doctoral student found serious flaws in software commonly used in worldwide nuclear power and <span style="font-weight: bold;">oil and gas industries</span>.
</font></span>

Are you who we have to think for the recent decline in gas prices? Did you singlehandedly patch the flaw that were allowing al Qaeda to wreak economic havoc on this country? And you are likely responsible for the recent strengthening of the dollar, am I right?

C'mon, don't be shy. Fess up. You fixed it, right?

Can you screw with Russia's national security computer systems for invading Georgia? (<--- The country, not the state or the football school, for the dimwits on this board).

 

[Optimus Prime 4]

I got backup yo

 

[Sutterkane]

He could probably pound out the code for it in a week and it'd be better than anything Yuku could <span style="font-weight: bold;">ever</span> give us. All we'd need to do then is boost our hosting and host the forum ourselves from the actual sixpack site.

Thoughts?

 

[dawgstudent]

I am all ears.