Talks to Watch

GUI interface using visual basic to track the killers IP address CSI

3.5M views · Apr 27, 2009 · 0:15 · 0 HN recommenders · 19 mentions · discussed 2012–2026

A short CSI clip in which characters try to track a killer's IP address by writing a Visual Basic GUI. It is a famous example of absurd TV hacking.

Why Hacker News points people here: Used as a running joke whenever HN discusses Hollywood hacking or nonsense technical jargon.

“Not sure anything can beat the famous CSI hacking the killers IP address using a VB GUI Interface scene.”HN comment, 2023

What Hacker News said 19

CriticaltivertOct 2024

“it's even more ridiculous nonsense fantasy than a typical doctor or a lawyer show”

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> Most non-technical business stakeholders don't really understand what we do. You don't see shows about awesome devs doing awesome shit, like you do for lawyers, doctors, business people, etc. All they know about us is that we're nerds who work like two hours a day and can't be bothered to go into the office. You do, but it's even more ridiculous nonsense fantasy than a typical doctor or a lawyer show (e.g. all the hacker girl scenes like this video , link ).

in “GitHub's Copilot lies about its documentation. Why would I trust it with my code” · view on HN
JokecsenseJul 2012
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I think that ship's already sailed. There's a confusion in the mind of the general public between "someone who knows programming" and "someone who specializes in breaking into computer systems." In case you haven't watched any TV or movies in the last 20 years, here's the news: Any computer expert, regardless of whether they're a good guy or bad guy, can defeat any security system within a matter of minutes, even (or perhaps especially?) those belonging to police/intelligence/military/shadowy evil organization bent on world domination. As we all know, that kind stuff is really just a matter of coding up a GUI in Visual Basic to track the IP address. [1] [1] this video

in “Let’s Convince the Media to Stop Stereotyping Hackers as Criminals” · view on HN
JokegriffordsonJul 2013
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Thanks, there isn't much funny about any of this, but that got a legitimate laugh out of me. For anyone who doesn't know the reference, a clip from CSI: this video

in “XKeyscore: NSA program collects 'nearly everything a user does on the internet'” · view on HN
Joketimothy89Aug 2013
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"I'll create a GUI interface using Visual Basic. To see if I can track an IP address." this video

in “Generate Hollywood-grade technical jargon” · view on HN
JokerschmittyOct 2013
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Ya, I can't begin to tell you the number of times I have been made fun of by ___ text editor fanatics for using an IDE that has wizard clicky things/drag drop components etc this video things like this never help

in “Visual Studio 2013 released to web” · view on HN
Jokejliechti1Jan 2014

“Link to clip”

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I wonder if the show CSI used a Markov Chain to create the last line in this scene: "For weeks I've been investigating...the killer with a certain morbid fascination..." "This is in real time!" "I'll create a GUI interface using Visual Basic...see if I can track an IP address!" Link to clip: this video

in “The Hacker Who Cracked the Code in Iron Man and The Social Network” · view on HN
JokesjtgrahamJul 2014
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> Can't wait to see fake hollywood bitcoins in the movies. I'm sure they'll just 'cat /dev/urandom' for awhile and call it good. You overestimate Hollywood tremendously. They'll create a GUI interface using Visual Basic and see if they can track an IP address. [1] [1] - this video

in “The Business of Fake Hollywood Money” · view on HN
JokelawlMay 2015
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Honestly, the only reason I watched the episode (just now) was that I got linked this clip [0] earlier today. Didn't know it was this show back then, recognized it now. But I have to agree, the lingo is acceptable, although not really perfect or good. I.e. Tor is unsecure because apparently if you control the exit node you can track the origin, which is obviously not true. But hey, they talk about Tor and exit nodes in one sentence that almost makes sense, so that's pretty good, apart from me feeling that claiming Tor isn't secure in a TV show is kind of a campaign... Between creating a GUI in visual basic to track an IP address [1] and reality I'd say it's kind of in the middle. But it's not "BEEP BEEP COMPUTER THINGS ARE HAPPENING". [0] link [1] this video

JokelotharbotAug 2015
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I was really confused by this headline -- having not seen the show, but knowing an indie video game by the same name ( link ) that used the word "hacking" to describe RPG-ish battles set inside the circuitry of other robots. It is refreshing to see on-screen depictions of hacking that use legitimate tools in ways they're actually used in, instead of "GUI interface using visual basic to track the killers IP address" ( this video ).

in “Exploring the Hacker Tools of Mr. Robot” · view on HN
Jokehacker_9Dec 2016

“Both still make me laugh after the 100th time.”

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and this [1]! Both still make me laugh after the 100th time. I'd love to have been in the room when the writers actually thought these scenes up. [1] this video

in “Mr. Robot Killed the Hollywood Hacker” · view on HN
JokeplusJul 2017
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I don't want to be confrontational, but I really don't understand the point you're trying to make. Why a neural network, why VLC? I understand that you are suggesting it would be possible to strip the watermark, but the way you've said it sounds a lot like "create a GUI interface using visual basic, see if I can track an IP address"[0]. Which is to say, you've not said what you would do to defeat it, but how you think it would be implemented... which doesn't really tell us anything about HOW you think it could be defeated. >You just can't effectively watermark data intended for human consumption, our tolerance for intentionally induced noise is too high. If this were true, steganography[1] would be useless in practice (it isn't). I would suggest reading up on digital watermarking[2]. [0] this video [1] link [2] link

in “Custos is using Bitcoin to turn digital pirates against each other” · view on HN
JokeSleeepAug 2017
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The solution to this has been know for a while, its creating a GUI interface in Visual Basic to track the domain's IP address.[1] [1] this video

in “Don't Take Security Advice from SEO Experts or Psychics” · view on HN
JokeandrewwhartonOct 2017
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This feels like a weird "Mainframes are making a comeback", submarine article[1] targeted at people likely to buy stock, especially the "Mainframes Today" section. There also seems to be a (legally obligated?) disclaimer at the top that they're a stock holder, quickly moving on to why you should buy IBM stock, with enough "build a GUI in visual basic to track their IP address"[2] tech-speak gobbledygook to confuse/convince the average investor. That's the only sense I can make of it... [1] link [2] this video

in “What Do IBM Mainframe Computers Look Like Today?” · view on HN
Jokedave7Aug 2018

“My favourite is CSI New York”

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My favourite is CSI New York - "I'll create a GUI Interface using Visual Basic, see if I can track an IP address" this video

in “Cable networks are speeding up TV shows to cram in ads” · view on HN
Jokemaccam94Sep 2020

“The reference”

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It's unrealistic that someone would write a GUI interface in response to an active computer attack. The reference: this video

in “Nikola’s founder steps down from board as company faces fraud allegations” · view on HN
JokemilesApr 2023

“will never fail to entertain ;-)”

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“Enhance!”[0] may no longer qualify as comedy, but this[1] will never fail to entertain ;-) [0] link [1] this video

in “Stability AI releases Image Upscaling API with 2 open-source models behind it” · view on HN
JokemellosoulsJul 2023

“Not sure anything can beat the famous CSI hacking the killers IP address using a VB GUI Interface scene.”

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Not sure anything can beat the famous CSI hacking the killers IP address using a VB GUI Interface scene. this video

JokesundarurfriendOct 2023

“for the younguns”

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Have you ever created a GUI interface in Visual Basic, and seen if you could track an IP address? ( this video for the younguns)

in “Bill Gates demonstrates Visual Basic (1991) [video]” · view on HN
JokevunderbaJun 2026

“this is one of the many classic pseudohacker babble references from the television show CSI”

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Lol. For reference, this is one of the many classic pseudohacker babble references from the television show CSI [1]. Brought to you by your average screen writer who probably thought that dragging an icon from the desktop in Windows 95 to the Recycle Bin also deleted the corresponding files. [1] - this video

in “Write a GUI Interface with Visual Basic that can be used to track an IP address” · view on HN