Computer Virus Hits U.S. Drone Fleet
A computer virus has infected the cockpits of Americaâs Predator and Reaper drones, logging pilotsâ every keystroke as they remotely fly missions over Afghanistan and other warzones.
The virus, first detected nearly two weeks ago by the militaryâs 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 Creechâs computers, network security specialists say. And the infection underscores the ongoing security risks in what has become the U.S. militaryâs most important weapons system.
âWe keep wiping it off, and it keeps coming back,â says a source familiar with the network infection, one of three that told Danger Room about the virus. âWe think itâs benign. But we just donât know.â
via Exclusive: Computer Virus Hits U.S. Drone Fleet | Danger Room | Wired.com.