TL;DR
A digital advertising screen at London Victoria station displayed a failed update message referencing SSL and BoringSSL, with a stalled progress bar. The signage appears to run Android and showed update controls that are unlikely to be usable by passersby.
What happened
One of the digital advertising displays at an entrance to London Victoria train station showed an update failure before the festive period. The screen presented what looked like an Android update interface with a stalled progress indicator and on-screen controls such as “Update Immediately” and “Browse Update File,” though the item appears not to be a touchscreen. The error text referenced SSL and specifically BoringSSL, the Google-maintained fork of OpenSSL described on the display as “not intended for general use,” suggesting an issue during a software update tied to an SSL library. Observers noted the device was showing a hopeful progress bar but was effectively out of service for advertising content. The report contrasts this with the station’s departure displays, which commuters jokingly interpret through the rail acronym SSL — Signals, Staff shortages, and Leaves.
Why it matters
- Public digital signage failures are visible to large numbers of commuters and can undermine trust in managed displays.
- Problems in underlying SSL libraries or update mechanisms can render remote-managed screens unusable until fixed.
- Non-interactive displays still surface update controls and error messages designed for administrators, exposing operational issues.
- Dependence on third-party software components like BoringSSL can surface in public when updates or integrations fail.
Key facts
- Incident occurred at one of the entrances to London Victoria train station.
- The affected device is a digital advertising screen showing an update failure.
- Display appears to be running a version of Android, based on visible UI elements.
- Error text referenced BoringSSL, described on-screen as Google’s fork of OpenSSL and “not intended for general use.”
- A stalled progress bar was visible and the screen was not showing ads while the update was failing.
- On-screen options such as “Update Immediately” and “Browse Update File” were present but the display is likely not a touchscreen.
- Report published on December 27, 2025.
What to watch next
- Whether a remote administrator resolves the update and restores advertising (not confirmed in the source).
- Any follow-up that confirms the root cause as an SSL or BoringSSL library fault (not confirmed in the source).
- If similar update failures appear on other public signage in the network or at other stations (not confirmed in the source).
Quick glossary
- SSL: A family of cryptographic protocols used to secure communications over networks; often referenced when encrypted connections or certificate issues arise.
- BoringSSL: Google’s fork of OpenSSL, maintained for use in Google projects and related integrations; not broadly intended as a general-purpose OpenSSL replacement.
- Digital signage: Electronic displays used in public spaces to present advertising, information, or wayfinding content that can be updated remotely.
- Progress bar: A visual indicator showing the completion status of an ongoing operation such as a software update; can be misleading if it stalls.
Reader FAQ
Was the screen hacked?
Not confirmed in the source.
Is the display a touchscreen that passengers could fix?
The report says the device is probably not a touchscreen, so user interaction was unlikely to resolve the issue.
Did the failure affect train departure information?
Not confirmed in the source.
What is BoringSSL and why is it mentioned?
BoringSSL is Google’s fork of OpenSSL; the display referenced it during the failed update and noted it’s not intended for general use.
OFFBEAT SSL Santa greets London Victoria visitors with a borked update Best not touch that screen, eh? Richard Speed Sat 27 Dec 2025 // 12:01 UTC BORK!BORK!BORK! Today's Christmas bork comes from London's Victoria…
Sources
- SSL Santa greets London Victoria visitors with a borked update
- SSL Santa greets Victoria visitors with a borked update
- https://www.westminster.gov.uk/media/document/q3-2…
- US EPA Region 7 Inland Area Contingency Plan
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