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spicyjpegyesterday at 11:24 PM1 replyview on HN

This isn't even the worst payload ever delivered through Windows Update. The prize for that should probably go to chip manufacturer FTDI, which once abused the system to publish a driver that would semi-permanently brick USB serial bridge parts the driver detected as counterfeit [1] by exploiting a command that the genuine parts did not implement correctly (how ironic) [2]. The backlash was large enough that Microsoft ended up pulling the update almost immediately, but that did not stop FTDI from trying again a few years later with another driver update that deliberately corrupted data sent through detected-counterfeit parts.

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FTDI#Driver_controversy

[2] https://github.com/therealdreg/ftdibrick#diving-deep


Replies

Henchman21today at 1:01 AM

It’s almost like money gives some people the idea that being a cunt is 100% ok so long as you get your money.