Stop installing that software – you may have just died
A tech support incident at an Air Force base during wargames led to a simulated bomb disabling the base, causing work stoppage. The story highlights inefficiencies and challenges in tech support roles.
Read original article
The article from The Register recounts a tech support incident where a reader, referred to as "Lyle," was installing software at an Air Force base during wargames. Due to a security breach observed by a wargames judge, the base was simulated to be disabled by a bomb, halting work for everyone inside. Lyle, a civilian contractor, negotiated his way back to work after three hours, highlighting the inefficiency of his paid downtime. Additionally, he discovered old Sperry-Unisys computers at the base were used for spare parts in critical air traffic control systems. The story ends by inviting readers to share their own work interruption experiences. The narrative showcases the challenges faced in tech support roles and the unexpected disruptions that can occur during routine tasks.
Related
For the record: You just ordered me to cause a expensive outage
An electrical engineer faced consequences after removing crucial wiring despite warnings, leading to financial losses. The incident underscores challenges techies encounter with unreasonable demands and poor management.
The weirdest QNX bug I've ever encountered
The author encountered a CPU usage bug in a QNX system's 'ps' utility due to a 15-year-old bug. Debugging revealed a race condition, leading to code modifications and a shift towards open-source solutions.
An arc welder in the datacenter: what could possibly go wrong?
A former IBM engineer fixed a cracked metal frame on a stock exchange's printer in the 1960s. A later inexperienced repair attempt caused chaos, emphasizing the need for expertise in critical system maintenance.
CISA broke into a US federal agency, and no one noticed for a full 5 months
CISA's red team exercise at a US federal agency exposed critical security flaws, including an unpatched vulnerability in Oracle Solaris. Delays in patching allowed a breach, emphasizing the need for improved security measures.
Firing Myself
Noormar, a developer, accidentally cleared a production database at a Social Gaming startup, causing revenue losses and customer complaints. The incident led to guilt, a tarnished reputation, and eventual resignation.
0 commentsRelated
For the record: You just ordered me to cause a expensive outage
An electrical engineer faced consequences after removing crucial wiring despite warnings, leading to financial losses. The incident underscores challenges techies encounter with unreasonable demands and poor management.
The weirdest QNX bug I've ever encountered
The author encountered a CPU usage bug in a QNX system's 'ps' utility due to a 15-year-old bug. Debugging revealed a race condition, leading to code modifications and a shift towards open-source solutions.
An arc welder in the datacenter: what could possibly go wrong?
A former IBM engineer fixed a cracked metal frame on a stock exchange's printer in the 1960s. A later inexperienced repair attempt caused chaos, emphasizing the need for expertise in critical system maintenance.
CISA broke into a US federal agency, and no one noticed for a full 5 months
CISA's red team exercise at a US federal agency exposed critical security flaws, including an unpatched vulnerability in Oracle Solaris. Delays in patching allowed a breach, emphasizing the need for improved security measures.
Firing Myself
Noormar, a developer, accidentally cleared a production database at a Social Gaming startup, causing revenue losses and customer complaints. The incident led to guilt, a tarnished reputation, and eventual resignation.