Computer virus hits US Predator and Reaper drone fleet

[A Guy]

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 war zones.

The virus, first detected nearly two weeks ago by the military’s Host-Based Security System, has not prevented pilots at Creech Air Force Base in Nevada from flying their missions overseas. Nor have there been any confirmed incidents of classified information being lost or sent to an outside source. But the virus has resisted multiple efforts to remove it from Creech’s computers, network security specialists say. And the infection underscores the ongoing security risks in what has become the US military’s most important weapons system.

“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.”

[url=http://arstechnica.com/business/news/2011/10/exclusive-computer-virus-hits-drone-fleet.ars]Source

A Guy

[Bearcat]

That raises the possibility, at least, that secret data may have been captured by the keylogger, and then transmitted over the public internet to someone outside the military chain of command.

You want to bet that is exactly what happened? Sounds like it was an inside job to me.

[leofelix]

if that is true, I suspect the US American military security experts are not so different from the italian military security experts I could meet when I have been serving my Country Armed Forces.

Please, do not let me tell more. I can just add that I fixed some hundreds of computers during my last years in the Army and I never claimed to be a security expert

[JayCub]

That's a waste of Bears tax dollars, mind you if a pc goes wrong it can be easily fixed if a drone goes wrong you can kiss your.... lets just say i wouldn't like to be in charge...

[Bearcat]

That's a waste of Bears tax dollars

I totally agree with that!!!!

[Ceyfer √]

You want to bet that is exactly what happened? Sounds like it was an inside job to me.

Spy/UAV attack plane got spied too. That's becoming a norm these days, possibly in which the higher command is also spying on its own forces.

"Welcome big brother, be extra careful with your extra curricular activities...your father is watching.
Ok I'm ready for that...where's my e-jamming device?"

[Bearcat]

Spy/UAV attack plane got spied too. That's becoming a norm these days, possibly in which the higher command is also spying on its own forces.

"Welcome big brother, be extra careful with your extra curricular activities...your father is watching.
Ok I'm ready for that...where's my e-jamming device?"

Everybody spying on each other...now isn't that a cheery thought?

[A Guy]

Air Force Disputes Drone Keylogger Report

The U.S. Air Force on Wednesday downplayed a recent malware attack on its systems, insisting that its unmanned aircraft, or drones, were never in danger and that the virus did not include a keylogger.

The malware affected the Windows-based, portable hard drives used by those at Nevada's Creech Air Force Base to transfer information between systems. It was a "credential stealer, not a keylogger, found routinely on computer networks and is considered more of a nuisance than an operational threat," the Air Force said in a statement.

[url=http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2394634,00.asp]Source

A Guy

[Bearcat]

Sounds like CYA to me.