Computer Virus Hits U.S. Drone Fleet

wired.com:

A computer virus has infected the cockpits of America's Predator and Reaper drones, logging pilots' every keystroke as they remotely fly missions over Afghanistan and other warzones.

Read the whole story: wired.com

Comments

[Bill Cumming]

09:21 AM on 10/09/2011

According to new report it's *not* a virus.
It's the DoD's own "Security Monitoring Program" causing the unexpected behaviour.
Looks like one part of the DoD wants to make sure they can trace any further "Wikileaks" by logging keystrokes and looking for specific keywords.

Unfortunately it looks like Departments within the DoD are in a huff with each other and not talking when they deploy security measures...

It's the old story of the Left hand not knowing what the Left or Right hand is doing... ^_^

[Rational Thought Plz]

02:26 AM on 10/09/2011

skyNET is gaining consciousness!

It might be less scary than the alternatives..

[glassbender]

08:43 PM on 10/08/2011

!) get the best hackers that are locked up , and cut them loose.

[gra8whit]

09:34 PM on 10/08/2011

oh and emulate a mafia-state like Russia. Poor idea.

[Peace Walker]

08:10 PM on 10/08/2011

Maybe somebody wants us to stop killing people with drones?

[brandon20678]

06:48 PM on 10/08/2011

This has to be embarrassing to the U.S because we spend Billions a yeas on cyber security. My Theory: The virus came from a contractor trying to get a contract with the U.S government. By infecting the Drones with virus the U.S will spend more money on security.

[ciskokid]

06:25 PM on 10/08/2011

Need a loyal and devoted Steve Jobs clone to work with the feds the SEE and create the software
to subvert the enemies of America.

[hypnotoad72]

04:09 PM on 10/08/2011

“We keep wiping it off, and it keeps coming back,” says a source familiar with the network infection, one of three that told Danger Room about the virus. “We think it’s benign. But we just don’t know.”

Um, if it's logging keystrokes, it's anything but benign. 

Here's a clue - and it starts with something very simple, since we all know they aren't going to build custom software kept under tight wraps in the first place:  Wipe every damn hard drive.  From every workstation, terminal, and server.  Reinstall fresh.  Rebuild anew.  Then put in better anti-malware solutions before allowing anybody back on the internet, though anything that's in the wild can't always be dealt with.  It's an ongoing problem. 

Oh, and who is letting critical computers directly on the internet?!   Keep it a private, closed network if you want another means to reduce this sort of problem.

Just wait until bluetooth and wi-fi are compromised.  As with current tablets and phone toys, there is NO security when pairing some of those devices.  (To do so might cost too much money, you see...)

Granted, people working on classified systems can sell out, but relying on off-the-shelf stuff like Windows, unmodified open source, etc, is just DUMB.  And that can't be emphasized enough.

Signed,
Somebody who has no certifications in the Security industry but has at least one functioning brain cell.

[Bill Cumming]

09:24 AM on 10/09/2011

Unless the actual "virus" is a DoD deployed security program and all you are doing is costing them time, money, probably a few lives and too much downtime for critical systems.

[Post31]

03:47 PM on 10/08/2011

Let us hope that one day we are not attacked on U.S. soil by our own drones that have been hacked.

[gomezrules]

03:19 PM on 10/08/2011

I find it somewhat suspicious that this kind of news would be reported or verified. I don't know if I believe this.

[InfinteShibumi]

02:47 PM on 10/08/2011

After that Radio Shack drone hack of a couple of years ago, it was patently clear this was possible.

[Robbert Carr]

02:39 PM on 10/08/2011

Use the Mac OS. It's bulletproof. They could run these things with iphones... well unless one gets a pocket call...boom!

[nighthawksc]

01:53 PM on 10/08/2011

I would be inclined to believe that this is false information !

[Drama Llama]

01:22 PM on 10/08/2011

GEEK SQUAD!

[lriSdismayed]

11:58 AM on 10/08/2011

I am very concerned about the security of this country if a virus can infect the drones. Did they not think these drones would not be targeted for such a fate and if a security was in place and was infiltrated then I wonder do we still have spies in our Intelligence headquarters? Surely the US is smarter than this???

[poppahymen]

09:32 AM on 10/08/2011

Skynet?