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The U.S. Drone Fleet Is Fully Infected By A Computer Virus
Business Insider ^ | Oct 7, 2011 | Robert Johnson

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 ...


TOPICS: Breaking News; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: computersecurity; corporate; drone; globalism; itsecurity; microsoft; predator; virus; windows
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To: OwenKellogg

What about the Predators being used in the US. That could prove a problem for the “observers”.


21 posted on 10/07/2011 11:32:07 AM PDT by NoNAIS (Yet another Government program not needed.)
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To: Retired Greyhound

...or fake report?


22 posted on 10/07/2011 11:32:21 AM PDT by stuartcr ("Everything happens as God wants it to...otherwise, things would be different.")
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To: PapaBear3625

Skynet became self-aware on August 4th, and Judgment Day ensued.


23 posted on 10/07/2011 11:33:35 AM PDT by Repeal The 17th
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To: PapaBear3625

BS.


24 posted on 10/07/2011 11:34:51 AM PDT by bvw
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To: PapaBear3625

I would suspect the virus does not come from the ‘software’ but rather from code embedded the manufacture of the circuit board chips.

That could be why they cannot get rid of the virus.


25 posted on 10/07/2011 11:35:47 AM PDT by Blueflag (Res ipsa loquitur: non vehere est inermus)
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To: dead
The virus has a keylogger, which may be relaying info back to the virus creator.

It currently looks like this is a regular virus, which got into the classified network, possibly by use of a flash drive. Given the amount of havoc which the Stuxnet was able to inflict upon Iran's nuclear program, I'm not comfortable that armed drones may be vulnerable to similar hacking by our enemies.

In the past, I brought up the "Battlestar Galactica" scenario (hostile agent inserts malware which disables your combat systems at a critical moment in an attack) and was poo-pooed by people here who said that security measures would prevent that scenario from occurring. The scenario can no longer be considered far-fetched.

26 posted on 10/07/2011 11:37:09 AM PDT by PapaBear3625 (When you've only heard lies your entire life, the truth sounds insane.)
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To: stuartcr

It logs keystrokes. It’s getting to where you can’t trust anything on a computer anymore.

I hope this message isn’t garbled.


27 posted on 10/07/2011 11:37:19 AM PDT by Loud Mime (The Obama voters are dumber than you think, meaner than you can imagine)
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To: PapaBear3625

The Wired story says the virus is infecting the cockpits; in other words, the PCs back in Nevada, not the drones themselves.


28 posted on 10/07/2011 11:40:16 AM PDT by Vroomfondel
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To: Blueflag
I would suspect the virus does not come from the ‘software’ but rather from code embedded the manufacture of the circuit board chips.

The Wired story says it's infecting the cockpits (i.e., the PCs back in Nevada), not the drones.

29 posted on 10/07/2011 11:41:38 AM PDT by Vroomfondel
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To: PapaBear3625
unnamed computer virus

Tell me that they are not using Micro$oft

30 posted on 10/07/2011 11:42:04 AM PDT by Uri’el-2012 (Psalm 119:174 I long for Your salvation, YHvH, Your law is my delight.)
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To: PapaBear3625

31 posted on 10/07/2011 11:43:20 AM PDT by Drill Thrawl (0 - 537 They ALL must go.)
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To: Vroomfondel
The Wired story says it's infecting the cockpits (i.e., the PCs back in Nevada), not the drones.

Faint comfort, since the cockpits control the drones.

32 posted on 10/07/2011 11:49:21 AM PDT by PapaBear3625 (When you've only heard lies your entire life, the truth sounds insane.)
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To: UriÂ’el-2012
Tell me that they are not using Micro$oft

I could tell you that, but I'd probably be lying.

33 posted on 10/07/2011 11:50:29 AM PDT by PapaBear3625 (When you've only heard lies your entire life, the truth sounds insane.)
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To: Loud Mime

What??? Please re-send, it was all garbled.


34 posted on 10/07/2011 11:52:14 AM PDT by stuartcr ("Everything happens as God wants it to...otherwise, things would be different.")
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To: Retired Greyhound

Yep. Or Russia. Putin would love to have that feather in his cap.


35 posted on 10/07/2011 11:54:16 AM PDT by LibWhacker
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To: Drill Thrawl

“where is Forbin?”


36 posted on 10/07/2011 11:55:25 AM PDT by isom35
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To: PapaBear3625

37 posted on 10/07/2011 11:57:17 AM PDT by liberalh8ter
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To: PapaBear3625

Flash the EPROM


38 posted on 10/07/2011 11:57:59 AM PDT by lwd
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To: PapaBear3625

How the heck does a computer virus get into a drone’s systems? Are they surfing Internet p0rn when they’re tucked into their hangers?


39 posted on 10/07/2011 11:59:26 AM PDT by AFreeBird
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To: isom35

“where is Forbin?”

Chillin’ with Dr. Chandra.


40 posted on 10/07/2011 12:01:24 PM PDT by Drill Thrawl (0 - 537 They ALL must go.)
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