Computer Virus Tracking US Drones

[krome2ez]

Computer Virus Tracking US Drones

October 08, 2011

Military.com|by Bryant Jordan

Who’s watching the watchers?

That’s the question the defense officials are asking with the discovery that a computer virus has infected the U.S.-based control stations of Predator and Reaper drones, tracking every keystroke made by the pilots as they guide the vehicles on their missions.

The drones, which conduct reconnaissance and combat missions, continue to fly, according to an official interviewed by Reuters, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

“Something is going on, but it has not had any impact on the missions overseas,” the official said.

The military’s fleet of Predators and Reapers has evolved in capabilities, size and importance over the past decade, quickly moving from largely reconnaissance and intelligence-gathering aircraft to hunter-killers. Their use in targeting and killing suspected terrorists has been widely hailed by U.S. officials, though they’ve also spark controversy when strikes have led to the deaths of innocents.

Wired magazine, which first reported the story on Friday, said military network security specialists detected the virus in late September at the unmanned aerial vehicles’ computer system at Creech Air Force Base in Nevada.

Security technicians have been trying to eliminate the bug, but without success.

“We keep wiping it off, and it keeps coming back,” a source familiar with the network infection told Wired. “We think it’s benign. But we just don’t know.”

The security specialists aren’t sure whether the virus and its so-called “keylogger” payload were introduced intentionally or by accident, according to Wired. The magazine’s source said it could be a common piece of malware that just happened to make its way into UAVs’ networks.

They also don’t know how far it has spread, but they believe it has reached both into classified systems at the base, meaning that some secret data may have been captured by the keylogger and relayed to someone outside the authorized chain of command, the magazine was told.

Military officials are saying nothing in response to queries.

“We generally do not discuss specific vulnerabilities, threats, or responses to our computer networks, since that helps people looking to exploit or attack our systems to refine their approach,” Air Combat Command spokesman Lt. Col. Tadd Sholtis told Wired. “We invest a lot in protecting and monitoring our systems to counter threats and ensure security, which includes a comprehensive response to viruses, worms, and other malware we discover.”

http://www.military.com/news/article/computer-virus-tracking-us-drones.html?ESRC=eb.nl

[no left angles]

Gotta love those microsoft based systems......

i wouldnt mind seeing a drone...flying around with a big apple for the insignia lol

[flatdawg]

Be nice to see those drones going for the capital building.

[Mongo]

When it's all said and done, most electronics on the battlefield will be rendered useless by EMP's or by being hacked and used against themselves

[anonmouse013]

Binary beginnings of Skynet?

It could be the beginning...

"Do you read me Hal?"

"Yes Dave."

"Open the pod bay doors, Hal."

"I'm sorry Dave"

[krome2ez]

Binary beginnings of Skynet?

It could be the beginning...

"Do you read me Hal?"

"Yes Dave."

"Open the pod bay doors, Hal."

"I'm sorry Dave"

Your showing your age.

[colt32]

Dave..... please stop.. I'm o.k. now. Dave.......will I dream?

[anonmouse013]

1968... I was only 3 at the time (yeah, old, but not REAL old )

However, that movie is a timeless classic

I wish I could say the same for me... some days I feel as old & tired as the GET team & Okie's endless banter about "cash in on Tuesday"

(well, maybe not THAT old & tired )