US weapons systems easily hacked

[WX]

https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-45823180

The report's main findings were:

• the Pentagon did not change the default passwords on multiple weapons systems - and one changed password was guessed in nine seconds
• a team appointed by the GAO was able to easily gain control of one weapons system and watch in real time as the operators responded to the hackers
• it took another two-person team only one hour to gain initial access to a weapons system and one day to gain full control
• many of the test teams were able to copy, change or delete system data with one team downloading 100 gigabytes of information

[WX]

Re: US weapons systems easily hacked

Probably using Windows XP.

[Ian McColgin]

Re: US weapons systems easily hacked

And an aircraft carrier was disabled due to a computer glitch that disabled the ship's septic system.

We have stupidly expensive systems that cannot even work in routine wear and tear much less carry on after sustaining battle damage.

And then there's EMP.

[Art Haberland]

Re: US weapons systems easily hacked

this was where Soviet systems were better. Yes, they were crude, poorly engineered, and in many cases laughable in ability, but they kept on working because they could easily be field repaired simply because they were not so bleeding edge tech

[ccmanuals]

Re: US weapons systems easily hacked

https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-45823180

The report's main findings were:

• the Pentagon did not change the default passwords on multiple weapons systems - and one changed password was guessed in nine seconds
• a team appointed by the GAO was able to easily gain control of one weapons system and watch in real time as the operators responded to the hackers
• it took another two-person team only one hour to gain initial access to a weapons system and one day to gain full control
• many of the test teams were able to copy, change or delete system data with one team downloading 100 gigabytes of information

I am having a hard time believing that. Some details would be nice

[oznabrag]

Re: US weapons systems easily hacked

this was where Soviet systems were better. Yes, they were crude, poorly engineered, and in many cases laughable in ability, but they kept on working because they could easily be field repaired simply because they were not so bleeding edge tech

This is precisely the problem.

This is why the newest vehicle I've ever owned was built in 2001.

Even THAT was too techie for my tastes.

I saw an ad on Youtube the other night extolling the virtues of all these gadgets and gizmos available on the new Mustang.

It's enough to make you retch.

Kalashnikov is splitting a gut, laughing.

[George Jung]

Re: US weapons systems easily hacked

I had read that the military had 'shut down' much of their systems, because of this vulnerability - but I can't find a link now.

Anybody?

[carioca1232001]

Re: US weapons systems easily hacked

this was where Soviet systems were better.

The aspect of 'hackability' ?

That stuff made in Russia may be intrinsically more robust and resilient to hacking and/or that Russia has more talented personnel (anti-hackers) to thwart prospective hackers ?

Both may be equally valid, their flair for the abstract (mathematics) was abreast of the others and reached it´s nirvana during the (pre-perestroika) Cold War years.

On the other hand, at that time Russian electronic-chip and VLSI (Very Large Scale Integration) technology lagged behind the US, by leaps and bounds; that said, even spritely NEC (defunct) of Japan was taken to court on charges of pilfering sensitive data, IC masks and files related to manufacturing Intel´s 8086 16-bit processor (early 80´s).

Yes, they were crude, poorly engineered, and in many cases laughable in ability, but they kept on working because they could easily be field repaired simply because they were not so bleeding edge tech

Russians are some of the world´s most ardent followers of the KISS - Keep It Simple, Stupid - principle.

Laughable in ability ? Don´t think so.

Their 4-barrelled, radar-controlled AA system fitted on tracked-vehicles was the deadliest menace faced by any low-flying jetfighter/heli in Vietnam/Yom Kippur (´73); similar reasoning is behind their S-400 AA system making it to the wish lists of many a nation :

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/india-signs-missile-shield-deal-with-russia-hopes-for-us-okay/articleshow/66092832.cms

[Jim Bow]

Re: US weapons systems easily hacked

"Russians are some of the world´s most ardent followers of the KISS - Keep It Simple, Stupid - principle"

The Автома́т Кала́шникова 1947 for instance.

[carioca1232001]

Re: US weapons systems easily hacked

"Russians are some of the world´s most ardent followers of the KISS - Keep It Simple, Stupid - principle"

The Автома́т Кала́шникова 1947 for instance.

The weapon of choice for infantry troops worldwide, specially in counter-insurgency operations; not for it's accuracy, but rather for cost, ruggedness, reliability and field serviceability.

But in all fairness, it was not a 'designed from scratch' Russian offering, more like a knock-off of the Wehrmacht´s MP 44 with enhancements, of course.

[Iceboy]

Re: US weapons systems easily hacked

I have a Remington model 8 from 1911 designed by John Browning with a remarkably similar safety and action to an AK47.

The weapon of choice for infantry troops worldwide, specially in counter-insurgency operations; not for it's accuracy, but rather for cost, ruggedness, reliability and field serviceability.

But in all fairness, it was not a 'designed from scratch' Russian offering, more like a knock-off of the Wehrmacht´s MP 44 with enhancements, of course.

[skuthorp]

Re: US weapons systems easily hacked

I had read that the military had 'shut down' much of their systems, because of this vulnerability - but I can't find a link now.

Anybody?

Ask the Chinese and the Russians, they will know………………….