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Comment by jhull | Hacker News Reader

'...[they] literally "smashed" on the keyboard to see what would happen when arbitrary keys were pressed together. Using that smashing technique, the researchers were able to figure out how to escape the kiosk mode.'

They also just invented the newest SaaS model: "Smashing as a Service"

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Sounds like keyboard fuzzing; a strange way to get out of kiosk mode, but hey, it worked.

Certainly does. Public terminals at Boston University used to crash to desktop if you smashed on the keyboard enough.

This is a tried and true technique used by students for decades.

When I was a kid, a bookstore nearby had a computer where you could download free software, with a closed interface. Anyway, some guys came along and were like "look, we're gonna hack this thing", at which point they started mashing on the keyboard like madmen. (The poor beeps of that abused computer ...)

And now you're telling me this is an actual thing?? My life is a lie.

What do you think fuzzing is? Keyboard mashing taken to 11. ;)

I learned an awful lot about software testing and security as a kid trying to sneak illicit games onto school computers. Granted, this was in the 95/3.1 days, so it was a little easier ;)

I had great luck with this technique when friends forced me to play Mortal Kombat or Street Fighter or other similar uninteresting-to-me video games as a kid.

They always thought it was "unfair" when I beat them.

Well maybe you shouldn't enjoy playing such poorly designed games then!

Applies equally to poor security practices. Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.

Sounds like the right way out of kiosk mode—edge cases are rarely obvious.

I once stumbled on a bug this way. I reached for a key to do something, a coworker reached for a different key to do something else, and the program crashed. And we looked at each other and asked, "What keys did we hit?" (It took maybe five minutes to figure out, which isn't very bad.)

In contrast to Grindr/Tiner: "Smush as a Service"

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