Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania discovered that Mattel’s pre-teen texting toy, the IM-Me, can be altered to disrupt the digital radios that most law enforcement agencies use. That’s right, a $30 toy has the potential to disrupt crucial communications between, say, F.B.I. agents. The researchers, who are going to reveal their study today, say right now your common criminal isn’t going to be able to figure this out, but it’ll happen soon thanks to your not-so-common criminals, downloadable code on the Internet, and oh yeah, the paper they’re releasing today.
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