The WANK Worm, Part 1

Malicious Life

Technology

4.8 • 1K Ratings

🗓️ 25 April 2019

⏱️ 35 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

On October 16th, 1989, NASA's scientists went into work preparing to launch a spacecraft that very day. But when they sat down to their computers, they were met with an unexpected greeting: “Your system has been officially WANKed. You talk of times of peace for all, and then prepare for war.” Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Transcript

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0:00.0	NASA was warned.
0:04.0	December 22nd, 1988.
0:07.4	Deep inside the dark halls of the Goddard Space Flight Center in Washington, D.C.
0:13.0	A ticking time bomb is set.
0:15.4	Thousands of computers in facilities around the country
0:18.6	unwittingly spread an unsolicited malicious program
0:22.4	set to go off in less than 36 hours.
0:27.6	It comes with an ominous message.
0:32.2	Hi, how are ya?
0:34.0	I had a hard time preparing all of the presents.
0:38.0	It isn't quite an easy job.
0:40.0	I'm getting more and more letters from the children every year and it's not so easy
0:45.8	to get the terrible Rambo guns, tanks and spaceships up here at the North Pole.
0:51.6	But now the good part is coming.
0:54.0	Distributing all the presents with my sleigh and the dears is real fun.
0:59.1	When I slide down the chimneys I often find a little present offered by the children or even a little
1:05.9	brandy from the father. Yeah! Anyhow, chimneys are getting tighter and tighter every year. I think I'll have to put my diet on again.
1:15.3	And after Christmas I've got my big holidays. Now stop computing and have a good time at home.
1:22.1	Merry Christmas and a happy new year.
1:25.0	Your Father Christmas. Hi, I'm Ran Levy.
1:35.0	Welcome to Malicious Life in collaboration with Cyber Reason.
1:40.0	If you've listened to our two-part episode on the Morris Worm, you'll remember how groundbreaking an event it was.
	...

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