"Hacker" Films

[DataMatrix]

[RANT]
Why are hacker films so retarded? Why don't the film corporations actually ASK people with knowledge on how hacking is done and what programs are used so that they can make something that actually LOOKS like hacking.

I mean... I'm watching Antitrust now and at the start with all the names etc it has HTML code... That has got to be the most retarded thing ever. HTML is baby talk - children can write HTML, all they had to do was ask a C#/C++ open-source developer can they feature his code in a film. I doubt he'd say no.

I was watching Hackers 2 earlier, and he was using a Macintosh to hack! That's retarded on another level, all (real) hackers use things like Linux and Unix based OS - though I have to say that Hackers 2 was the most realistic and featured some good bits. Another thing about Hackers 2 that was retarded though was when some dude from the telephone company is tracing him he uses the ping command...

I know they're targeted at a general audience but why can't film makers get the point and use programs like Nmap, telnet, etc?

[/RANT]

[icanhazburger]

I've noticed this, but they want to make what there doing look visually interesting for the film. I cant remember the name of the Travolta film, but the hacker was surrounded by about a dozen monitors all fancy graphics instead of just plain text.

[Jay]

if they showed how to really do it in a film we would all be doing it.....

[kopite]

Swordfish

Jay theres also the fact that real hacking isnt very camera friendly. plus watching someone trying to hack into a big multinational company would take a bit longer than 30 seconds..

[TheAnimus]

I was watching Hackers 2 earlier, and he was using a Macintosh to hack! That's retarded on another level, all (real) hackers use things like Linux and Unix based OS

Nope. Hackers black or white hat, often use a total different platform to the target. Back in the days when mac's wern't just glorfied dell's with a price premium and an insecure varient of BSD, lots of people used mac's for security research.

I often used an acorn.

But now virtualisation seams the norm for researchers.

To be fair, its not just us compy geeks who get anoyed, a little while ago i was seeing this nursing student (scrubs for pj's, far sexyer than even the most pretentious oxford street shop's wears). She used to make me watch casualty and other trash tv sometimes. All she would do is moan about the inacuraices, espesually annoying during good war films when someone is been given first aid after a rather heroic moment, the last thing you want to be told is "thats not how you sink an IV". So rant, but don't make life hell for anyone with you!

[TheAnimus]

Swordfish

Desrves special mention because RSA apparently where 'consultants' to help with the technical accuracy!

[SiM]

Swordfish

Was there hacking in that film? I only remember seeing one thing in that film... It is one of my finest memories though

[steve threlfall]

Swordfish

I was watching Hackers 2 earlier, and he was using a Macintosh to hack! That's retarded on another level

Product placement.

Its becuase they are trying to make a film that appeals to the masses and not a miniscule selection of people. Why are you watching a film made to entertain if you want to see a realistic representation of hacking

[kopite]

Anyone remember killernet?

It was a show on channel 4 10 years ago. I got really angry watching it for a number of reasons.

1. they had full screen webcams showing tv quality streaming. this was back in the days of 56k FFS.

2. At one point one of the characters was going to fit a sound card to the blokes PC she said she`d have to get into his CPU to install it.

3. This really took the biscuit. They opened the computer up to fit the Soundcard and you could clearly see the empty CPU socket.

As TheAnimus said though most ppl when they see porograms about their own interests spot glaring inaccuracies in everything. People watch films and tv for entertainment so its just one of those things we have to suspend disbelief and let them get away with a little creative freedom.

[directhex]

"hackers" was a genius movie

[icanhazburger]

Was there hacking in that film? I only remember seeing one thing in that film... It is one of my finest memories though

Yeah I think the guy doing it was meant to be FBI or something, it was a real over the top setup, loads of flat panel monitors (not so common place back then) and swishy graphics.

Sure it was not 2 things you remember seeing

[kidzer]

The best bit of computer inaccuracy I've seen on TV/film was one of the first few episodes of season 5 of 24.

A machine Jack Bauer is at has an IP address with the first octet of 269, which isn't an 8 bit number - and I don't think the writers put it in as an IPv6 address!

[SiM]

Yeah I think the guy doing it was meant to be FBI or something, it was a real over the top setup, loads of flat panel monitors (not so common place back then) and swishy graphics.

You have lost me here...

Sure it was not 2 things you remember seeing

Well there were a pair of em
TBH, I don't think I have actually seen the whole film... I have only seen one small part of it

The best bit of computer inaccuracy I've seen on TV/film was one of the first few episodes of season 5 of 24.

A machine Jack Bauer is at has an IP address with the first octet of 269, which isn't an 8 bit number - and I don't think the writers put it in as an IPv6 address!

CTU has IPv7... duh, didn't you know

[Behemoth]

I find it annoying when they show a computer doing things in something like the bill, and they put in all those fake beeping sounds, or they'll make things coe off a printer, an ink jet printer and they make it appear as if it's a lazer printer.

[TheAnimus]

"hackers" was a genius movie

With a truely kick arse sound track.

An excellent tean movie (thou the ending was a bit of an anticlimax.)

[merple]

if they showed how to really do it in a film we would all be doing it.....

Just like the guns and violence... amirite?!

Nmap has been in a couple of films, they have a list on their site

The funniest "hacking" i've ever seen was on a crappy police drama show on telly (cant remember what it was) and for some reason they needed to get into someone else's email. So they go to see the friendly neighbourhood "hacker" who promptly pulls up window on his screen that looks like a form quickly slapped together in VB. It zooms in on the title bar for a second and its called "HackIt! v1.03"