Greek Hackers Attack the LHC

A Greek group of hackers known as GST (Greek Security Team) successfully hacked into one of CERN's control systems on September 10th, just as the particle accelerator was firing up for the first time. They placed several files on the computer, including one web page which boasted their accomplishments (view an image of it here). Since I can't resist believing in terrible James Bond-esque movie plots, this raises questions about evil geniuses gaining control of the facility and destroying the Earth with miniature black holes and lightning-fast porn. Luckily, the system they gained control of wasn't terribly essential, though, according to CERN scientists, from there they might have been able to access other vital systems where they could have switched off some of the components of the 17-mile long machine. And, as one unnamed CERN insider put it, "it is hard enough to make these things work if no one is messing with it." James Gillies, a spokesman for CERN, said that no real harm was done, and that the attack was "quickly detected." Read more here.