Crosswalk buttons in Silicon Valley have been hacked to imitate the voices of Musk and Zuckerberg

Crosswalk buttons in Silicon Valley hacked to sound like Zuckerberg, Musk.

: Audio-enabled crosswalk buttons across Silicon Valley were compromised to emit AI-generated voices resembling figures like Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk. These incidents were observed in locations such as Menlo Park, Palo Alto, and Redwood City in California. The unauthorized access possibly points to hacktivist activity, though the responsible individuals remain unidentified. Local officials have begun investigations into the breach, with efforts to restore normal functionality underway.

Over the weekend, audio-enabled crosswalk buttons in Silicon Valley were hacked to emit AI-generated voices mimicking tech moguls Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk. The modified devices were documented by residents in Menlo Park, Palo Alto, and Redwood City, California. These crosswalk buttons, used to assist visually impaired pedestrians, were reported by Palo Alto Online, with evidence suggesting tampering occurred last Friday. Despite investigations, the motivations and perpetrators remain unclear, though hacktivism is a suspected motive.

A crosswalk button mimicking Zuckerberg's voice stated, "It’s normal to feel uncomfortable or even violated as we forcefully insert AI into every facet of your conscious experience... there’s absolutely nothing you can do to stop it." Another button imitated Musk, lamenting, "I guess they say money can’t buy happiness… I guess that’s true. God knows I’ve tried... But it can buy a Cybertruck and that’s pretty sick, right?" followed by "F—k, I’m so alone."

Deviant Ollam, a security researcher, explained in a 2024 video how such crosswalk technologies can be manipulated, often due to unchanged default passwords. This issue highlights the vulnerabilities in public infrastructure exposed to hacking, emphasizing the need for enhanced cybersecurity measures in everyday devices.

Despite the event's disruption, city officials in Redwood City are working diligently to resolve the issue, taking active measures to uncover the source and method of the hack and secure the systems involved. Polara, the manufacturer of the crosswalk buttons in question, did not provide a comment when reached by TechCrunch.

The incident underscores broader concerns around cybersecurity in public spaces, particularly as more devices become embedded with AI technology. Such events serve as a reminder of the potential risks posed by digital tampering and stress the importance of robust security practices.

Sources: Palo Alto Online, TechCrunch, Deviant Ollam

cybersecurityAISecurity