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Computer virus infects predator drones ground stations — Parallax Forums

Computer virus infects predator drones ground stations

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  • mindrobotsmindrobots Posts: 6,506
    edited 2011-10-08 08:14
    ...and the first steps are taken.....

    "One way to negate these kind of instances is to move toward more autonomous control mechanisms," retired three-star general David Deptula

    Dave Bowman: Hello, HAL. Do you read me, HAL?
    HAL: Affirmative, Dave. I read you.
    Dave Bowman: Open the pod bay doors, HAL.
    HAL: I'm sorry, Dave. I'm afraid I can't do that.
    Dave Bowman: What's the problem?
    HAL: I think you know what the problem is just as well as I do.
    Dave Bowman: What are you talking about, HAL?
    HAL: This mission is too important for me to allow you to jeopardize it.
  • Martin_HMartin_H Posts: 4,051
    edited 2011-10-08 10:16
    Shesh, how about keeping the OS and the application software on write locked media?
  • LoopyBytelooseLoopyByteloose Posts: 12,537
    edited 2011-10-08 10:21
    You mean like Write Only partitions? Wouldn't that require Linux, or at least Unix -- maybe an Apple?
  • rod1963rod1963 Posts: 752
    edited 2011-10-08 11:26
    Reeks of lack of IT/Security oversight.

    Not uncommon though in military installations where users have access to USB and CD/DVD drives and decide to install their own apps or worse bring to work documents and spreadsheets they worked on at home on their infected PC.

    Normally these sort of highly sensitive systems will have USB, CD/DVD devices blocked or devices removed outright and system rights set so as to almost make it impossible for a user to install software without IT approving it and being notified if it happened without their OK. Also they'll only have just the minimal amount of software needed to perform it's task and nothing else. Think dedicated system not a Kinko's pc.

    And no the DoD doesn't use Apple products, they were pretty much tossed out in the 90's and early 2000's. The DoD today is pretty much a Microsoft shop for better or worse.
  • Peter KG6LSEPeter KG6LSE Posts: 1,383
    edited 2011-10-08 21:15
    mindrobots wrote: »
    ...and the first steps are taken.....

    "One way to negate these kind of instances is to move toward more autonomous control mechanisms," retired three-star general David Deptula

    Dave Bowman: Hello, HAL. Do you read me, HAL?
    HAL: Affirmative, Dave. I read you.
    Dave Bowman: Open the pod bay doors, HAL.
    HAL: I'm sorry, Dave. I'm afraid I can't do that.
    Dave Bowman: What's the problem?
    HAL: I think you know what the problem is just as well as I do.
    Dave Bowman: What are you talking about, HAL?
    HAL: This mission is too important for me to allow you to jeopardize it.

    you just made my day with that ..
  • LoopyBytelooseLoopyByteloose Posts: 12,537
    edited 2011-10-09 01:46
    Viruses are really a Windows thing and M$ has actively pursed US government sales for many years. It really is a bit absurd that one can bring in a spreadsheet from home and work on a military installation computer if that is indeed possible.

    On the other hand, it is hard to believe that something other than an AntiVirus program is not implemented in warfare context. My lowly EEEpc had a complete image of the OS that could be reinstated by just booting with F9. And since it was solid-state storage, it did so quickly.

    So far, my use of Ubuntu Linux for about 3 years has been without any virus problems. Even when I get browser scams that download a trojan horse file, the fact that it is a .exe file renders it useless.
  • Peter KG6LSEPeter KG6LSE Posts: 1,383
    edited 2011-10-09 06:45
    Loopy . AS you know ,. VM's are now to the point where a Linux base and a XP VM is a good idea ..I VM XP on Debian on a Pent M with 1.5Gb ram ,........

    Its too easy to use a simple fix .....its the US GOV ! .
  • LoopyBytelooseLoopyByteloose Posts: 12,537
    edited 2011-10-09 07:29
    I am not quite sure what you mean by a VM.
    For Linux, Windows has been emulated by an application called WINE.

    From what I understand, it must include the .dll files from M$ to run properly and by doing so it too can get a virus.
  • Peter KG6LSEPeter KG6LSE Posts: 1,383
    edited 2011-10-09 08:33
    VMs are a FULL OS inside a OS ...
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_machine

    Yes a VM can be compromised just as fast as a nomal PC but you are isolaing it . If the OS is bad .. Wipe and reistall without EVER rebooting the computer .. all you do is drop to the host OS ( linux ) and restart the VM .. just like a progam that can crash

    you neeed loads of ram . and a some what pepy CPU ..
    If yu are REALLY crafty ..
    Lock the bolts out of a LVM partittion and use it as you place to store your VMs and then you have Write protected XP ..

    Write a script that IF it drops It resinallts and reload the VM ..alll with minimal downtime .

    I use WINE too . but only for a few trusted programs . BS2 and prop . and a Tesla cad SW ...


    VMs are a Huge part of the upper computing world now . Down side is ... more code =more to learn = most ppl are not willing to learn = consumer fail ..
  • Mike4421Mike4421 Posts: 131
    edited 2011-10-09 10:06
    Thats kinda funny....... 50 yrs from now...... kid: how did WW3 start..... Old Man: CPU glitch.
    Its just funny to me that something so high tech can go wrong, doesn't matter what OS, Hardware, or anything else. CPUs just go bad sometimes. :D
  • rod1963rod1963 Posts: 752
    edited 2011-10-09 12:58
    Loopy

    Yes stupid users did bring in MS word and spreadsheet files infected with macro viruses from home and infect DoD computers. A common occurrence where I worked. Engineers and techs were notorious for doing it.

    AV software wasn't needed on isolated systems/networks where all the software installed is controlled by IT and security and no access to the internet.I know on the classified systems I worked there never was a virus problem. Then again these networks had zero access to the outside world. The other downside to AV software like McAffe and company is that it sucks CPU cycles big time and turns a 1 Ghz Pentium into a 50 mhz 386.

    Also the Predator keyloggers should have been a non-issue and been dealt with on the day it was detected. Technically it's not a challenge at all assuming the Nellis people are competent. In addition the AF should have had several pristine disk images and even swappable HDD's for such a situation. I know at the sites I worked we had a library of disk images for various depts that made crashed disks and user screw-ups a easy fix.

    The fact it's persisted as long as it has tells me they may have issues with key contractor personnel.
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