Cyber Incident Victim: Neutron Holdings, Inc.
Date:
Apr 2019
Location:
Australia
Summary
Hackers compromised e-scooters in Brisbane, causing them to broadcast explicit and offensive messages to riders during use. The manufacturer removed affected units from service, characterizing the tampering as vandalism, and initiated fleet-wide inspections to assess compromise extent. This incident occurred amid ongoing technical issues with sudden braking malfunctions that previously endangered riders, for which a software update was planned.
| CIA Posture | Motives | Tactics, Techniques & Procedures |
|---|---|---|
| Available to members | 4 motives | 1 technique |
| Threat Actors | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 0 actors | Available to members | Available to members |
Description
In April 2019, Lime, a Brisbane-based e-scooter manufacturer conducting operational trials in Brisbane, experienced a security incident involving the unauthorized manipulation of its rental scooters. At least eight scooters were compromised by unidentified actors who altered their voice systems to broadcast offensive and sexually explicit messages to riders. Documented examples included scooters stating, “Okay, if you’re going to ride my ass then please pull my hair, okay?” during unlocking and “Don’t take me around, because I don’t like to be riden” during operation. Additional footage captured by Brisbane’s Channel Seven showed a scooter asking, “No, where you go?” post-ride. Users shared videos of these interactions on YouTube, drawing public attention to the breaches. Lime promptly removed the affected scooters from service and characterized the incident as deliberate vandalism rather than a technical malfunction, condemning the acts as “not smart, not funny” and harmful to community members.
Lime initiated a fleet-wide inspection to determine the scope of the tampering, though the total number of compromised scooters beyond the initial eight was not publicly confirmed. The company focused on restoring affected units to their original operational state. This incident occurred during a critical period for Lime, as its scooters were operating under a trial phase pending approval from Brisbane’s city council for a commercial license. The breach raised operational and reputational concerns, given that Lime was competing against seven other companies for one of two available licenses. Separately, Lime had planned a global software update in April 2019 to address an unrelated braking malfunction that caused sudden stops during downhill rides, though no evidence linked this technical issue to the voice system compromise. The company’s public statements emphasized resolving the vandalism without elaborating on specific technical vulnerabilities exploited by the attackers.