Posted on 10/07/2011 11:19:43 AM PDT by PapaBear3625
An unnamed computer virus is compromising the security of U.S. Reaper and Predator drones as they fly missions in Afghanistan, Iraq, Yemen, and Pakistan.
Wired reports the virus was found about two weeks ago and hasn't kept the drone pilots at Creech Air Force Base in Nevada from conducting missions.
There haven't been any reports of classified data breaches, but the virus has resisted the military's best efforts to remove it.
(Excerpt) Read more at businessinsider.com ...
“They are required to have anti-virus. I doubt this is the normal malware found cruising the internet.”
These should be on a separate network with no connection to the outside.
That rules out China, unless they sold some supplier bad microchips.
This points to an inside job, and it sould be easy to find out who had network access when the virus hit.
I would like to know why Manning isn’t taking his well deserved dirt nap yet?
I mean Pvt Eddie Slovik deserted his unit early October ‘44, was tried by court martial a month later, and by the end of January ‘45 he was worm food. What Slovik did was minor in comparison to what that traitor Manning has done.
Does anyone know what OS runs on these things? I’d think they were either Linux or Java based(like the Mars rovers)
That makes sense. Too bad the 'cockpit' isn't running Linux.
From the Wired article: “At first, they followed removal instructions posted on the website of the Kaspersky security firm.”
I find it curious that they would use Kaspersky, a Russian firm with HQ in Moscow.
Why not ESET, which consistently beats Kaspersky (and all others)in independent testing, and is based in Slovakia?
I was digging around yesterday and found an article that implied Linux was used in the ground controller stations. Java is not an OS, it would need to run on top of some OS, although that OS might be some stripped-down special-purpose OS.
...hasn't kept the drone pilots at Creech Air Force Base in Nevada from conducting missions. There haven't been any reports of classified data breaches...Is there a version of anti-virus for drones? ;') No, I won't say it.
Stuxnet was a worm, not a virus. If that's what this is, then Linux systems are just as vulnerable as Windows. The vulnerability is in the application, not the OS.
The object OS for both the network and Microsoft is like swiss cheese The original architecture for Microsoft Berkley Unix was designed for multi-user, networked and a hostile network.The vector of the breach was
via an infected thumb drive.
the Process Control system were both
Microsoft with known holes.
compared to any *nix
was for a single seat, no network and
no hostile environment.
So is Apple OS X & IOS Yes
What, you think that “fly-by-wire” fighter jets are immune to computer virus? Any computer system is vulnerable if anywhere in its production and operation, maximum, high integrity, security is not provided. And this nation’s officials sell out to the highest bidder. We are at dire risk.
And your Software Engineering Environment (SEE): Must have an operating system, compilers, linkers, editors, and other development tools, and a bunch of humans to develop software for the target system. Your SEE is a very complicated environment, with lots of people and less than perfect software that needs frequent updating, and no one can assure bug free or virus free elements, and incorruptible people. And ultimately, the SEE must feed software to the target.
It is like, more remarkable that any interesting installation can be virus free for long.
What type of engineer are you?The kind that makes wild guess, uses the words "obviously", "must", and "clearly" while having zero knowledge about the technology or this particular application.
freepmail me your AFSC. I’d like to ask you some questions...if you don’t mind.
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