5 ms·

For 20 Years the Nuclear Launch Code at US Minuteman Silos Was 00000000

27 points by omk 7y ago

amerine 7y ago
I remember hearing about this a long time ago. It’s pretty astounding.
ryanmercer 7y ago
I mean, it's probably going to be a very secure number. From my understanding it's not something you could just have a computer try and bruteforce, and a human being at the weapon system isn't likely to go "gee, I bet it's all zeros!" they're likely to think "well, I can guarantee it's not all zeros!"
HocusLocus 7y ago
I'm F'ing tired of people ignorantly (and willfully) misrepresenting this as if there was no 'security'. The PAL was a per-missile code. Not a launch code.
- aiyodev 7y ago
  We need a word for urban myths that refuse to die because they fit a popular opinion.
michalrichards9 7y ago
welp, that's the kind of code an idiot would have on his luggage
atemerev 7y ago
Modern PALs are really clever. Basically, some minute random amounts of explosives are removed from each block under each detonator, and it only can be compensated by corresponding adjustments of detonators firing timings. The correct timing offsets can be only produced by attaching an external device (PAL controller) to the bomb or warhead or launch console, and entering the arming code, which changes every 24 hours (it decrypts the timing offsets). Without the correct sequence, the device will fail to produce the proper nuclear explosion.
- bobowzki 7y ago
  Source?
  - atemerev 7y ago
    "The Curve of Binding Energy", John McPhee. Also some original research.
erentz 7y ago
Highly recommend Daniel Ellsberg’s recent book The Doomsday Machine if this topic interests you.
TheLuddite 7y ago
Perfect, you don't want someone to mistype the code when they have to send the commies to GlowLand.
oil25 7y ago
> So all this trillion-dollar hardware is really at the mercy of those men with the little brass keys? > That's exactly right. Whose only problem is that they're human beings. (WarGames)
evanweaver 7y ago
> In reference to Kanye's password choices: "Password" and all zeros are the most secure passwords these days. Not even brute force decryption engines use them. The reasoning: no-one could be that stupid, so why waste processing power looking for them. Kanye is on the leading edge. - John McAfee https://mobile.twitter.com/officialmcafee/status/1050809366885163015 https://mobile.twitter.com/officialmcafee/status/10508093668...
- segfaultbuserr 7y ago
  John McAfee is truly a crank since 2000. Recently, he also recently endorsed an insecure Bitcoin hardware wallet developed by people who don't know what they're doing and dismissed all security vulnerabilities.
- RobLach 7y ago
  That makes no sense as “password” is entry #1 in many password dictionaries

27 points by omk 7y ago

I remember hearing about this a long time ago. It’s pretty astounding.

I mean, it's probably going to be a very secure number. From my understanding it's not something you could just have a computer try and bruteforce, and a human being at the weapon system isn't likely to go "gee, I bet it's all zeros!" they're likely to think "well, I can guarantee it's not all zeros!"

HocusLocus 7y ago

I'm F'ing tired of people ignorantly (and willfully) misrepresenting this as if there was no 'security'. The PAL was a per-missile code. Not a launch code.

aiyodev 7y ago
We need a word for urban myths that refuse to die because they fit a popular opinion.

michalrichards9 7y ago

welp, that's the kind of code an idiot would have on his luggage

atemerev 7y ago

Modern PALs are really clever. Basically, some minute random amounts of explosives are removed from each block under each detonator, and it only can be compensated by corresponding adjustments of detonators firing timings. The correct timing offsets can be only produced by attaching an external device (PAL controller) to the bomb or warhead or launch console, and entering the arming code, which changes every 24 hours (it decrypts the timing offsets). Without the correct sequence, the device will fail to produce the proper nuclear explosion.

bobowzki 7y ago
Source?
- atemerev 7y ago
  "The Curve of Binding Energy", John McPhee. Also some original research.

erentz 7y ago

Highly recommend Daniel Ellsberg’s recent book The Doomsday Machine if this topic interests you.

TheLuddite 7y ago

Perfect, you don't want someone to mistype the code when they have to send the commies to GlowLand.

oil25 7y ago

> So all this trillion-dollar hardware is really at the mercy of those men with the little brass keys? > That's exactly right. Whose only problem is that they're human beings. (WarGames)

evanweaver 7y ago

> In reference to Kanye's password choices: "Password" and all zeros are the most secure passwords these days. Not even brute force decryption engines use them. The reasoning: no-one could be that stupid, so why waste processing power looking for them. Kanye is on the leading edge. - John McAfee https://mobile.twitter.com/officialmcafee/status/1050809366885163015 https://mobile.twitter.com/officialmcafee/status/10508093668...

segfaultbuserr 7y ago
John McAfee is truly a crank since 2000. Recently, he also recently endorsed an insecure Bitcoin hardware wallet developed by people who don't know what they're doing and dismissed all security vulnerabilities.
RobLach 7y ago
That makes no sense as “password” is entry #1 in many password dictionaries