
GUI interface using visual basic to track the killers IP address CSI
About this video
A short CSI clip in which characters try to track a killer's IP address by writing a Visual Basic GUI. It is a famous example of absurd TV hacking.
Why it appears in the archive
Used as a running joke whenever HN discusses Hollywood hacking or nonsense technical jargon.
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From the Hacker News discussion
I think that ship's already sailed. There's a confusion in the mind of the general public between "someone who knows programming" and "someone who specializes in breaking into computer systems." In case you haven't watched any TV or movies in the last 20 years, here's the news: Any computer expert, regardless of whether they're a good guy or bad guy, can defeat any security system within a matter of minutes, even (or perhaps especially?) those belonging to police/intelligence/military/shadowy evil organization bent on world domination. As we all know, that kind stuff is really just a matter of coding up a GUI in Visual Basic to track the IP address. [1] [1] [VIDEO]
Read original comment ↗Thanks, there isn't much funny about any of this, but that got a legitimate laugh out of me. For anyone who doesn't know the reference, a clip from CSI: [VIDEO]
Read original comment ↗"I'll create a GUI interface using Visual Basic. To see if I can track an IP address." [VIDEO]
Read original comment ↗Ya, I can't begin to tell you the number of times I have been made fun of by ___ text editor fanatics for using an IDE that has wizard clicky things/drag drop components etc [VIDEO] things like this never help
Read original comment ↗I wonder if the show CSI used a Markov Chain to create the last line in this scene: "For weeks I've been investigating...the killer with a certain morbid fascination..." "This is in real time!" "I'll create a GUI interface using Visual Basic...see if I can track an IP address!" Link to clip: [VIDEO]
Read original comment ↗> Can't wait to see fake hollywood bitcoins in the movies. I'm sure they'll just 'cat /dev/urandom' for awhile and call it good. You overestimate Hollywood tremendously. They'll create a GUI interface using Visual Basic and see if they can track an IP address. [1] [1] - [VIDEO]
Read original comment ↗Honestly, the only reason I watched the episode (just now) was that I got linked this clip [0] earlier today. Didn't know it was this show back then, recognized it now. But I have to agree, the lingo is acceptable, although not really perfect or good. I.e. Tor is unsecure because apparently if you control the exit node you can track the origin, which is obviously not true. But hey, they talk about Tor and exit nodes in one sentence that almost makes sense, so that's pretty good, apart from me feeling that claiming Tor isn't secure in a TV show is kind of a campaign... Between creating a GUI in visual basic to track an IP address [1] and reality I'd say it's kind of in the middle. But it's not "BEEP BEEP COMPUTER THINGS ARE HAPPENING". [0] [LINK] [1] [VIDEO]
Read original comment ↗I was really confused by this headline -- having not seen the show, but knowing an indie video game by the same name ( [LINK] ) that used the word "hacking" to describe RPG-ish battles set inside the circuitry of other robots. It is refreshing to see on-screen depictions of hacking that use legitimate tools in ways they're actually used in, instead of "GUI interface using visual basic to track the killers IP address" ( [VIDEO] ).
Read original comment ↗