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'We Spoke To a Guy Who Got His Dick Locked In a Cage By a Hacker' (vice.com) 242

An anonymous reader quotes a report from Motherboard: Sam Summers was sitting at home with his penis wrapped in an internet-connected chastity cage when he got a weird message on the app that connects to the device. Someone told him they had taken control and they wanted around $1,000 in Bitcoin to give control back to Summers. "Initially, I thought it was my partner doing that," Summers told Motherboard in a phone call. "It sounds silly, but I got a bit excited by it." But when Summers called his partner, she told him it wasn't her, even after he told her their safe word. That's when he realized he had gotten hacked. His penis was locked in the cage, and he had no way out.

Summers is one of several people who purchased a chastity cage device called Cellmate and produced by Qiui, a China-based manufacturer. Some of the device's owners got their accounts -- and thus their devices as well -- hacked at the end of last year, after security researchers warned that the manufacturer left an exposed and vulnerable API, which could allow hackers to take control of the devices.

Scared and a bit desperate, Summers realized he had some Bitcoin stashed in an old account. So he sent the hacker what they wanted, hoping that would be it. But when the hacker got the money, they asked for more, according to Summers. "That's when I felt fucking stupid and angry," Summers said. At that point, Summers and his partner started brainstorming ways to get his penis out of the cage. At home, they only had a hammer, so they went out and bought a pair of bolt cutters. His partner tried first, but she couldn't break through. So Summers had to do it himself. The way he was holding his penis put it "in a dangerous spot," he said, so it was "very scary." Nonetheless, he was able to break the cage, but the cutters still cut through him, he said. "I don't have a scar or anything but I was bleeding and it fucking hurt," Summers said.

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'We Spoke To a Guy Who Got His Dick Locked In a Cage By a Hacker'

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  • by Tulsa_Time ( 2430696 ) on Friday January 29, 2021 @05:12PM (#61007060)

    Things are getting stranger all the time.

    • Re: (Score:2, Funny)

      by Anonymous Coward

      Sam Summers was sitting at home with his penis wrapped in an internet-connected chastity cage when he got a weird message on the app that connects to the device.

      There is so much wrong in that one sentence . . . . .

    • by ShanghaiBill ( 739463 ) on Friday January 29, 2021 @06:03PM (#61007286)

      We need an occasional reminder that stupidity has no upper bound.

      If his dick was permanently disabled, then, technically, he could qualify for a Darwin Award.

    • In this case it's the 'IoJ': 'Internet of (men's) Junk'.

      Some Slashdotters complain about some of the stories posted here by ./ staff as not relevant to a tech site, and not 'stuff that matters'. Usually I disagree with them. For this I agree 100%; this is not something that should be posted here, and it should not 'matter' to any Slashdotter -- or at least I hope it doesn't matter -- or should I say 'concern them'?
      • In this case it's the 'IoJ': 'Internet of (men's) Junk'.

        To be certain, there are internet based chastity belts for women as well, with the same issues of being hacked.

        Some Slashdotters complain about some of the stories posted here by ./ staff as not relevant to a tech site, and not 'stuff that matters'. Usually I disagree with them. For this I agree 100%; this is not something that should be posted here, and it should not 'matter' to any Slashdotter -- or at least I hope it doesn't matter -- or should I say 'concern them'?

        I'm a little conflicted about that though. I would hope that Slashdotters aren't so stupid as to buy into an internet controlled device like a chastity belt. But there are a lot of people who aren't so bright or savvy on what could happen with a locking device that can be hacked. And I suppose that a man or woman locked into their chastity belt might find it "stuff that matters"

        Finally, at leas

    • Except this story has been on Slashdot three times now at least. Strange, or just Slashdot as usual?

  • by fahrbot-bot ( 874524 ) on Friday January 29, 2021 @05:12PM (#61007062)

    ... internet-connected chastity cage ...

    Why would anyone think this is a good idea?
    I wouldn't even have an internet-connected thermostat in my house and that just controls the HVAC.

    • Re: (Score:3, Informative)

      ... internet-connected chastity cage ...

      Why would anyone think this is a good idea?

      Remote BDSM games with a remote partner. Esp. during a pandemic

      • ... internet-connected chastity cage ...

        Why would anyone think this is a good idea?

        Remote BDSM games with a remote partner. Esp. during a pandemic

        No, I get that, but it *still* doesn't make it a good idea, especially with the abundance of reported security issues surrounding internet-connected things. Also, unless this device does other things, like vibrate, simply being able to unlock it remotely isn't a sustainable game as you can't make someone put it on remotely. (Okay, maybe you can if he's really committed to the games. I'd like to see/hear that enticement.)

        • especially with the abundance of reported security issues surrounding internet-connected things

          Who pays attention to that outside the tech community? Almost no layman even understands 'internet security' and I am pretty sure that if you ask most purchasers of this product whether they even consider the possibility of 'losing control to someone else', the answer would probably be "I don't think that is possible".

          • especially with the abundance of reported security issues surrounding internet-connected things

            Who pays attention to that outside the tech community?

            The guy that had to saw that thing off his dick is paying attention now. Also women have become locked into their devices, and it eventually gets sort of messy once a month - yes, it has happened. Thos folks got themselves a first class understanding of the insecurity of IOT now.

        • Oh, these locks had this vulnerability reported months ago. They had some pretty basic API fuckups IIRC.

      • ... internet-connected chastity cage ...

        Why would anyone think this is a good idea?

        Remote BDSM games with a remote partner. Esp. during a pandemic

        Well, they are getting the epitome of bondage and sadism. Would that actually be a threeway once player 3 enters the game?

      • by laejoh ( 648921 )

        ... internet-connected chastity cage ...

        Why would anyone think this is a good idea?

        Remote BDSM games with a remote partner. Esp. during a pandemic

        See, they read BDSM, confused it with BSD, and thought it was secure...

    • Re:Why, why, why? (Score:5, Insightful)

      by apoc.famine ( 621563 ) <apoc.famine@gm[ ].com ['ail' in gap]> on Friday January 29, 2021 @05:36PM (#61007172) Journal

      I mean, I'm a little teary because of how hard I laughed at this.

      I refuse to allow my IoT lights to be reachable from outside the house. And those have fucking switches that I could turn off if someone hacked them. And when the base is disconnected they work like normal lightbulbs, just without the scheduling and fancy colors.

      And here's this dude who lets his dick cage be accessible on the internet, and it apparently doesn't have a backup key or safety override. That's a magical amount of stupid.

      I'm glad he was stupid enough to share, because now it's going to be on the internet forever.

      • by Bert64 ( 520050 )

        He didn't make it accessible on the internet directly, it depended on a third party service operated by the manufacturer which he had no control over.
        A lot of devices these days depend on an external service, a lot of users are stuck behind NAT so there's no other option for them. The devices operate like malware and regularly phone home for instructions.

    • Re: (Score:2, Funny)

      by Anonymous Coward

      Not an answer to your question, but this seems like a good time to mention the classic movie Hell Comes to Frogtown [wikipedia.org]

      To make sure that the rebellious Hell follows his orders, he is forced to wear an electronic protective codpiece that will explode if he disobeys or tries to abort his mission.

    • Re:Why, why, why? (Score:4, Insightful)

      by hey! ( 33014 ) on Friday January 29, 2021 @10:26PM (#61007912) Homepage Journal

      Why would anyone think this is a good idea?

      Nobody would. That's the *point*. Fetishes are transgressive and feel dangerous, which turns out to be stimulating to monkey brains.

      It's not my cup of tea -- not many peoples' for that matter (again that's part of the point) -- but I don't look down on people who do want to do this sort of thing. I *do* look down on people who actually try it without any contingency plans.

  • by aaarrrgggh ( 9205 ) on Friday January 29, 2021 @05:13PM (#61007070)

    Maybe you shouldn’t be reproducing if you trust your appendage to a cloud connected cage.

  • Wow. Apparently "just say no" isn't enough. Now you got to lock it up.

    • Apparently this is actually a bondage / S&M toy. So I wonder if the possibility of getting remotely hacked is perhaps part of the thrill.

  • The #1 problem (Score:5, Interesting)

    by LenKagetsu ( 6196102 ) on Friday January 29, 2021 @05:14PM (#61007078)

    The #1 problem here is that this sex toy for BDSM play did not have a safety override that could be easily triggered with a kitchen knife. The fault lies squarely on the manufacturer.

    • The #1 problem here is that this sex toy for BDSM play did not have a safety override that could be easily triggered with a kitchen knife. The fault lies squarely on the manufacturer.

      You can't let the user off that easily.
      This falls squarely in the "play stupid games, win stupid prizes" territory.

      • Nope, you can let the user off. Just like those fluffy cuffs you use for a fun night with the girl can still be opened if you lose the key there is absolutely an expectation that a toy which can injure you has a safety override.

        BDSM play isn't new, and largely its practitioners are quite careful with their sex organs so it's hardly "play stupid games" territory for a device that absolutely should have a fail safe mechanism.

        If you crash your car and the airbag doesn't work do you blame yourself for not havin

      • Isn't not letting the user get off easily the exact point?

    • Considering what the product is designed for, I'd prefer a safety override that could be triggered with a hair pin or something that isn't likely to make matters worse in the event of further complications or something as simple as a mechanism that's a bit stuck.
      • The #1 problem here is that this sex toy for BDSM play did not have a safety override that could be easily triggered with a kitchen knife ...

        Considering what the product is designed for, I'd prefer a safety override that could be triggered with a hair pin or something that isn't likely to make matters worse in the event of further complications ...

        Or, literally, a key.

        But, ya, a knife seems like exactly the wrong override solution for this. :-)

        Also, why does this need to be internet-connected? It's a cage lock. Unless it does something else too (like vibrates), how often do you need someone to be able to interact with it? Remotely?

    • If it had a safety, then it defeats the purpose of the type of device it was.
      • Not at all. A safety can be a physical key, just like every other similar type device.

        • Good point, after your comment, I would 100% agree a safty key or (or fingerprint/password?) should have been part of the device.
    • Re:The #1 problem (Score:4, Insightful)

      by cfalcon ( 779563 ) on Friday January 29, 2021 @05:29PM (#61007152)

      > The #1 problem here is that this sex toy for BDSM play did not have a safety override that could be easily triggered with a kitchen knife

      When it comes to an object like this, the lack of a safety override may actually be a selling point to a user who, err, explicitly seeks out situations without safety overrides.

      This case is reasonably bizarre, so I'm not totally sure what good advice here is (beyond the obvious). I will say that it's a real shame that the hacker didn't end the situation with the cryptocurrency transfer; that would have made for a funnier story.

      • who, err, explicitly seeks out situations without safety overrides.

        Safety override does not imply easy to tamper with. A simple key would do. Give that to the wife too.

    • The number 1 problem is the sick fuck was happy to lock a device on his dick that was connected to the internet. Everything after that is secondary.
  • People have been having a field day with "teledildonics" since its inception. People riding in a bus or something and their vibrator gets stuck on. Why you would put your cock in a cage? Might as well cut it off with a cigar cutter.
    • Why you would put your cock in a cage? Might as well cut it off with a cigar cutter.

      I know this doesn't really answer the "why" but, to be fair, the cage thing is easily reversible ...

  • by v1 ( 525388 ) on Friday January 29, 2021 @05:19PM (#61007102) Homepage Journal

    But when the hacker got the money, they asked for more, according to Summers.

    Why does it surprise people when criminals don't keep their promises? They're going to great efforts (bitcoin) to hide their identities - clearly they're not worried about you leaving them a negative review!

    "I paid the ransom and they still refused to unlock my junk - 0/10 would not recommend!"

    • Why does it surprise people when criminals don't keep their promises?

      Well, the guy admits to being a bitcoin owner - so we can infer that he's rather gullible.

      • If he bought bitcoin during the $20k bubble a few years ago he’s still ahead today where one is worth $36k.

        • Then he'd want to cash out immediately (better yet, a few weeks ago), never look at BTC again, and thank God he dodged the bullet. Because if he waits another couple months, he'll be back in the red.

          I guess he could buy a small amount, something he can afford to lose, and just treat it as a stake on the card table. But it's probably not wise to bet on a game with unknown rules. There is nobody who can predict if, much less when, BTC will spike again. Closest to that would be the hypemasters and other sophis

    • Why does it surprise people when criminals don't keep their promises?

      Even extortionists rely on their reputation.

      Now that I know dicknappers don't keep their word, they will receive nothing from me.

    • I love how that's the point where he felt stupid. Not for being stuck in it in the first place and being forced to pay $1000 but not until after he made payment and they didn't follow through with their end of the agreement.
  • Yikes. (Score:4, Funny)

    by DigitAl56K ( 805623 ) on Friday January 29, 2021 @05:21PM (#61007106)

    Should have wrapped it in PPTP.

  • Y'all can't be that hard up for peeps to talk to.

  • Thor_Reaally.jpg? (Score:5, Insightful)

    by algaeman ( 600564 ) on Friday January 29, 2021 @05:25PM (#61007120)
    Are the people that would buy an internet connected chastity cage really upset if someone they don't know gets control of it? Isn't that the whole thrill?
  • I looked up a pic of that thing when this story first came out. It doesn't wrap around behind you or seem to get held on in any serious way I can figure. It looks like a play toy for mental stimulation not for being locked up in real chastity. No matter your size or shape that thing should just slip off your dick if you're not hard. Maybe some lube to ease it off if it's on there really tight.

    From the pictures I'm not even sure how it stays on by itself even without hackers involved.

    • You can't tell from the pictures of just the device, but in the Pen Test Partners article [pentestpartners.com], the description of the device pretty much explains how it would be almost impossible, or downright terrifying, to try to remove manually...

      We discovered that remote attackers could prevent the Bluetooth lock from being opened, permanently locking the user in the device. There is no physical unlock. The tube is locked onto a ring worn around the base of the genitals, making things inaccessible. An angle grinder or other suitable heavy tool would be required to cut the wearer free.

      So it sounds like just sliding it off would require your balls to flatten as well - that's the kicker.

      • There's a simpler solution

        The “better” alternative is to prise open the circuit board area where the front button and light is:
        It’s glued-in but came out without much effort or damage. 3 volts (two AA batteries) applied to the white and yellow wires is enough to drive the unlock motor directly (white = negative, yellow = positive), a technique known as “spiking”.

        doubtless the Lockpicking lawyer would call this "an inexcusable design flaw", but it's a useful one.

  • by ameyer17 ( 935373 ) on Friday January 29, 2021 @05:27PM (#61007138) Homepage

    Apparently the company has instructions for how to unlock the device with a screwdriver. And the security researchers who found the issue had a couple of other ideas https://www.pentestpartners.co... [pentestpartners.com]

    Internet-connected penis prisons still seem like a really fucking dumb idea, though.

  • by RitchCraft ( 6454710 ) on Friday January 29, 2021 @05:28PM (#61007140)
    I've heard of Chinese finger traps, but, LOLOLOLOLOLOL If you put your dick in a vise expect it to get squeezed.
  • by malkavian ( 9512 ) on Friday January 29, 2021 @05:34PM (#61007166)

    That's what hospitals are for.
    There's a plethora of tools and contacts available to your average ED that would have assisted, and made that a reasonably safe task, rather than 'going it alone' and risking emasculation..

    I've absolutely no problem with people gaming like that if it makes their life better and happier, but do go the safe route after.. It'd be even more embarrassing to go to the ED with a penis on a block of ice and trying to explain how it was cut off than it would having the cage removed.

    And yeah, another call to increase security as well. I think they'll be going on a crash course into how to secure those devices soon. :)

  • Comment removed based on user account deletion
  • JFC, diction matters (Score:5, Informative)

    by Dixie_Flatline ( 5077 ) <.vincent.jan.goh. .at. .gmail.com.> on Friday January 29, 2021 @05:46PM (#61007234) Homepage

    "Nonetheless, he was able to break the cage, but the cutters still cut through him"

    They didn't cut THROUGH him, they cut INTO him. Or they CUT him. Cut through him makes it sound like he snipped his whole fucking dick off, and he didn't.

    I'm more angry about the word choice here than some guy in chastity making a questionable decision. (Next time, just go to the ER, dude. They'll forget about you 10 minutes after you leave. They've got a lot of other stuff on their minds right now.)

  • "That's when I felt fucking stupid and angry," Summers said. Oh, that's when? Not until you sent the ransom and they didn't follow through? Getting taken for $1000 to unlock your dick didn't make you feel stupid but rather took more than that?
    • by djinn6 ( 1868030 )

      No no no, he was turned on when the unknown internet stranger locked up his junk. Such is the way of masochism.

      • Aaaah, that's true. Where most of us would have been like, "This is really bad.", instead he was like, "This is beyond exciting."
  • by chuckugly ( 2030942 ) on Friday January 29, 2021 @05:59PM (#61007270)

    Anyone who is willing to put their penis in an Internet enabled Chinese manufactured trap should probably stay out of our future gene pool anyway.

  • Don't dick around with Bitcoin.
  • that this was written up on vice.com :-)

  • by MiniMike ( 234881 ) on Friday January 29, 2021 @07:14PM (#61007484)

    Ironic part is he had this lock on and still got screwed!

  • Guess it could have been worse, at least it wasn't some kind of butt plug...
  • .... win stupid prizes...
  • > a China-based manufacturer.

    Who cares where they are based?

    • Who cares where they are based?

      China is currently the home of low margin electronic goods, because they can make stuff very cheaply, and that means keeping costs as low as possible, which inevitably means cut corners (and dicks apparently). And security is hard (unlike this chap's... you get the idea), and is one of the first things to go. More expensive items can be made in more expensive locations like Germany, Japan and the good old US of A, because margins are higher and it's not necessary to shave off

  • An app controlled chastity cage. Connected to the internet. From China. What could possibly go wrong?
  • The software behind this hack will henceforth be known as the Cyber-Bobbitt.
  • Just when I though I had heard it all.
  • There are many benefits to chastity play within a romantic couple.
    Increased attention, increased passion, increased attentiveness, increased stamina, ability to edge to endless orgasm without going over the edge (including fully body orgasm without ejaculation), increased emotional bonding (like being in high school dating again-falling in love all over again). Real world chastity play runs 3-9 days...

    I don't judge guys who do it with a pro but it won't have all those benefits. Their chastity play can go

  • by UltraZelda64 ( 2309504 ) on Friday January 29, 2021 @11:37PM (#61008036)

    I don't think I have to say more.

    Seriously... WTF? I had a... *ahem*... hard time believing the article or how such a ridiculous story could be true, or even why anyone would put their dick in a cage to begin with.

    I have come to the conclusion that if someone's dumb enough to lock their dick in a cage, then they probably deserve whatever happens to them.

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