Avengers: Age of Ultron (spoilers)

[Umbran]

Ok, my take is this. the launch codes are generated by a computer that is hooked up to another computer, blah blah, that is connected to the interwebs and can be accessed by some mega hacking by an alien born artificial intelligence.

Even if they are not generated on such a computer (though, they probably are), the codes pass through some machines with memory at some point, even if it is only on the way to get printed. And, unless such machines are *truly* isolated (which includes having *no* wireless access at all, anywhere in the network) then it may be possible to reach the codes, or the algorithm and seed that generated them.

And, if Ultron can suborn or threaten someone into introducing a wireless connection to the isolated network... even an internet-capable toaster...

 

[Scott DeWar]

Or, and this is no joke, an internet connected refrigerator.

And since ultron and moral and ethical ambiguities, it very well would have put forth the miniscule effort needed to accomplish the act(s) necessary to "suborn or threaten someone into introducing a wireless connection to the isolated network".

 

[Jester David]

I imagine the nuclear code thing was lampshading.

We know from Last Week Tonight that the launch sites are pretty outdated, but the idea of a rogue AI triggering a nuclear strike is pretty ingrained in our pop culture mentality.
Telling the truth "the launch codes aren't online and kept on 5 1/4 inch floppy disks on computers that haven't been updated since the early '80s". is depressing and seems farcical. It'll take you right out of the movie as you need to explain that situation.
Spinning that slightly into "the launch codes are kept offline and secured" seems like they're making an excuse for the villain not doing the obvious thing. "Yeah, right, of course they are. Again, because it goes against conventional movie wisdom. Especially since the Department of Defence has been hacked as recently as last June.

Spinning it into a story point where Ultron can't hack into the launch codes because someone is counter hacking him is ridiculous from a reality standpoint but works in movie logic.

 

[Morrus]

[video=youtube;ecPeSmF_ikc]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecPeSmF_ikc[/video]

 

[Morrus]

[video=youtube;_Wlsd9mljiU]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Wlsd9mljiU[/video]

 

[Morrus]

(Or, in short, hardly a new conceit).

 

[Umbran]

And all this is setting aside the fact that... we don't have Thor, Iron man, and helicarriers in our world, so maybe they, in their world, keep their launch codes differently...