Laundry loophole for unlimited free washes: Students stumble upon security flaw that could potentially unlock a million machines

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Two students from UC Santa Cruz, Alexander Sherbrooke and Iakov Taranenko, have unearthed a security flaw that could potentially offer unlimited free laundry services. This discovery has sent ripples through the industry, raising questions about the security measures in place.

 

The students stumbled upon this vulnerability in the early hours of a January morning. Sherbrooke, sitting in his basement laundry room, managed to initiate a laundry cycle despite having no balance in his account. This was achieved by running a script of code that instructed the machine to start a cycle.

 

The bug was found in the API used by CSC Go, the mobile app of CSC ServiceWorks. This company, a major player in the laundry service industry, boasts a network of over a million laundry machines installed in residences, university campuses, and hotels across the United States, Canada, and Europe.

 

Despite multiple attempts to contact CSC ServiceWorks, the students received no response. The company has yet to address the issue, reportedly leaving the vulnerability open. This lack of action has led to concerns about the company’s commitment to cybersecurity.

 

In conclusion, this discovery has highlighted the importance of robust security measures in our increasingly connected world. It serves as a reminder that even the most mundane of services, like laundry, can be exploited if not properly secured.

 

What are your thoughts on this issue? Do you believe companies should invest more in cybersecurity to prevent such incidents? Share your views in the comments below.

 

 

Read more:

• https://techcrunch.com/2024/05/17/csc-serviceworks-free-laundry-million-machines/
• https://www.neowin.net/news/students-unlock-unlimited-free-laundry-service-after-discovering-a-bug/
• https://www.theverge.com/2024/5/19/24160383/students-security-bug-laundry-machines-csc-serviceworks
• https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/jailbroken-coin-operated-washing-machines-unlock-unlimited-free-cycles-and-millions-in-funds

 

Image: Ying Feng Johansson | Dreamstime.com