Dahvid Schloss, JHT’s resident Windows Malware Dev guru, occasionally leaves Windows alone long enough to cause problems for industrial control systems (ICS). From his past experiences in physical red teaming and government “green-door” programs, he’s spent real time finding out how to turn a computer problem into an everyone problem. Naturally, in his own way, his idea to teach you all about this danger was: “We should let students hack a water tower.” Apparently, this counts as curriculum. In this HAL, the focus is on Modbus, which Dahvid calls the gateway drug to paranoid anxiety about the future of the universe.
Dahvid is also one of the main members of The Cyber Idiots, a group of like-minded individuals who have a passion for cybersecurity and believe that education should be entertaining. They produce research and sometimes post videos and blogs on a variety of subjects related to cybersecurity including offensive security, threat hunting, tool use, and cybersecurity news. This is their latest fun way to learn. We think you’ll agree!
Price = $20
What’s a Hack-Along (HAL)?
A HAL is a structured set of chapters and lessons with virtual labs that accompany a public YouTube video from John Hammond’s Channel or our other All-Stars. Instead of just watching the dissection of an attack or learning a tool or skill, you get to “Hack-Along” with John and his friends! HALs are between 30 – 120 minutes of student time and are presented with click-by-click instructions with screenshots. So, you’re never lost!
HALs comprise 99% instructional content with a small shoutout to other offerings on the JHT Platform to further one’s knowledge beyond what was just learned. HALs are in the $20 – $50 range depending on the length of the content and the complexity of the virtual environment. Most will be only $20. Some are even “NameYourPrice”!
“HAL – Hack a Water Tower” is a Little Different
Most of JHT’s Hack-Alongs have 2 options: Watch the free YouTube video (embedded below) and see someone else do the hacking, or get your hands dirty by doing the hacking yourself.
What’s Behind Door #3?
But this HAL has a third option. Combine your hacker mindset with your maker mindset and physically create the entire scene at home! Start with a smattering of esp32s, breadboards and miscellaneous electronic components AND then recreate the water tower with the included 3d printing files! Bam… your own mini-water treatment plant to hack away into the wee hours of the night.
What do I get?
This HAL comes with a Linux VM with the entire water tower and treatment plant mimicked in a virtual environment. You will also be provided not only with a structured set of Chapters, but you’ll also be given 3 hours of lab time.
Prerequisites for “Hack a Water Tower”
HALs come with step-by-step instructions, but being comfortable with virtual environments and Linux is a plus. Because the entire web-based, virtual environment is provided for you, you need nothing other than a computer, Internet access and your brain!
