115 batshit stupid things you can put on the internet in as fast as I can go by Dan Tentler
Why Hacker News recommends it
HN points to it as an entertaining, jaw-dropping demonstration of exposed systems, including a French dam's controls.
What it is
Dan Tentler shows a rapid-fire tour of insecure things found on the open internet using Shodan and his own scanning, from unprotected VNC endpoints to industrial controls. The emphasis is on how little security was considered before connecting them.
Recommended by 1 HN commenters across 1 different months, 2016 to 2025.
What Hacker News said
Strong rec belter · 2021-07 · on “Thousands of unauthenticated databases exposed on the internet – study”
The presentation mentioned below in the thread is not bad.Sounds like its the one you were referring to, but for complete madness and awe I recommend to watch this one: "115 batshit stupid things you can put on the internet in as fast as I can go" by Dan Tentler [this video] There is a point where they find a large Dam in France with water gates control available in the Internet. They use the US Embassy to contact the French government department responsible and urgently do something about it. They are told: "Not right now, we are currently on holidays..." :-)
Cites saboot · 2016-01 · on “Internet of Things security is so bad, there’s a search engine for sleeping kids”
It's much worse than just passive webcams. Some devices which were never meant to be connected to the internet are out there. Stoplights? HVAC Systems? Carwashes? Ice Rinks? POWER PLANTS? Yes! [LINK] EDIT: I looked at his more recent talk from last November ... the situation has not improved "115 batshit stupid things you can put on the internet in as fast as I can go by Dan Tentler" [this video] Featuring Spanish Chicken Controls
Cites saulrh · 2018-06 · on “Ask HN: Old CS lecturer looking for advice from current and recent students”
Not sure if it'll help, since I don't have any teaching experience, but coming at this from the perspective of a student, thinking of what your students might be thinking given what they're saying: First, "not dry" doesn't necessarily mean "not prepared" or "spontaneous". Consider things like the SR-71 story [1] or the unprotected VNC endpoints presentation [2]. Second, keep in mind what you can give students that they can't get from a textbook or another lecture that they find on youtube. The best professors I had weren't the ones that could quote the textbook; the best professors I had were the ones that could provide context for the textbook, or tell stories that illustrated important edg
Cites belter · 2025-04 · on “Widespread power outage in Spain and Portugal”
Even the water control system for a big French Dam: "115 batshit stupid things you can put on the internet in as fast as I can go by Dan Tentler" - [this video]