Janet Jackson’s music video for the 1989 pop hit Rhythm Nation has been declared a cybersecurity risk after Microsoft discovered a vulnerability that makes it crash old laptop computers. An investigation by computer manufacturers including Microsoft revealed that the video allows hackers close by to cause device malfunction and system crash using the audio signal from Rhythm Nation video.
America’s top military, security, and intelligence organization MITRE has added the video to its definitive list of cybersecurity vulnerabilities to watch out for. According to the investigation, the music contained offending frequencies for laptops with 5400 RPM hard disk drives.
As reported by Microsoft blogger Raymond Chen, laptops with 5400 RPM hard disk drives seemed to be the most vulnerable. “It turns out that the song contained one of the natural resonant frequencies for the model of 5400 RPM laptop hard drives that they and other manufacturers used,” said Chen.
The video not only crashed the laptop from where it was being played, but also affected nearby laptops with the same 5400 RPM hard drive. Users are being warned to avoid playing the said song on their laptops or near other laptop users.
