A "smart rifle" that uses cameras, sensors and Linux software to precisely aim at a target sounds like a great idea... until someone hacks it. That's exactly what Runa Sandvik and Michael Auger, a husband and wife security team, have done with the TrackingPoint rifle.
It was rumored that even the U.S. Army was evaluating the TrackingPoint rifles, according to Popular Science. Now, a pair of security researchers have uncovered a flaw in the design: the rifle can be fooled into sending the bullet somewhere other than where the user is aiming it.
TrackingPoint uses WiFi to allow the camera to stream video to the rifle's software. This gives the shooter the chance to adjust the settings of the targeting system in real time to account for wind speed and other factors. TrackingPoint can adjust aim according to temperature, distance and bullet weight to create high accuracy. When the rifle is hacked, however, the bullet can be veered up to several feet off the intended mark.
Sandvik and Auger figured out how to hack the rifles so they will never hit the mark accurately, according to Ubergizmo. The rifle retails for around $13,000. The hack will not make the weapon fire by itself, at least. Sandvik and Auger have attempted to get in touch with TrackingPoint regarding their hack. As of Wednesday night, they've been unsuccessful.
More than 1,000 TrackingPoint weapons have been sold since 2011, according to IBTimes. Sandvik and Auger put a demonstration of their hacking feat up on Wired. Basically, they found a way to make the gun lie to its user.
