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German nuclear plant infected with computer viruses, operator says

reuters.com

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Re: German nuclear plant infected with computer viruses, operator says

#11

Post by elcapitan »

TillE wrote: post #4
elcapitan wrote: post #2

I found that part much more .. interesting: > As an example, Hypponen said he had recently spoken to a European aircraft maker that said it cleans the cockpits of its planes every week of malware designed for Android phones. The malware spread to the planes only because factory employees were charging their phones with the USB port in the cockpit.

The next sentence pretty much confirms my impression that this claim is almost certainly bullshit: > Because the plane runs a different operating system, nothing would befall it. But it would pass the virus on to other devices that plugged into the charger. That's just...not how computers work.

It's true that that scenario is not relevant, but the fact that there is a direct connection between the usb ports for charging stuff and the planes' computer is obviously a point of intrusion for attacks like Stuxnet.

Re: German nuclear plant infected with computer viruses, operator says

#12

Post by elcapitan »

phreeza wrote: post #10

Possibly important to note the timing of this admission right on the heels of the announcement of our defense minister that she wants to build a 'cyber' division in the army with 13500 people working there. Thats almost 10% of our armed forces. I could only find decent reporting about this in german: http://www.tagesspiegel.de/politik/plaene-der-verteidigungsm...

Here in Germany that only means that 13000 people print out reports for the minister, while 500 people look at screens. 10 of them program the stuff that happens on the screens.

Re: German nuclear plant infected with computer viruses, operator says

#13

Post by elcapitan »

jojo3000 wrote: post #8
TillE wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The next sentence pretty much confirms my impression that this claim is almost certainly bullshit: > Because the plane runs a different operating system, nothing would befall it. But it would pass the virus on to other devices that plugged into the charger. That's just...not how computers work.

If behind the USB port is some (writeable) data storage (for PDF manuals etc) this is quite possible.

Or some infectable USB controller is involved.

Re: German nuclear plant infected with computer viruses, operator says

#14

Post by vanderZwan »

Aelinsaar wrote: post #6

I wonder what scale of disaster will have to occur before information security is placed under the same legal and regulatory scrutiny as physical security?

I think it won't happen until everyone in society has good "computer literacy".

Re: German nuclear plant infected with computer viruses, operator says

#15

Post by SixSigma »

elcapitan wrote: post #2

I found that part much more .. interesting: > As an example, Hypponen said he had recently spoken to a European aircraft maker that said it cleans the cockpits of its planes every week of malware designed for Android phones. The malware spread to the planes only because factory employees were charging their phones with the USB port in the cockpit.

Callback to 2008 :

Boeing's new 787 Dreamliner passenger jet may have a serious security vulnerability in its onboard computer networks that could allow passengers to access the plane's control systems, according to the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration.

The computer network in the Dreamliner's passenger compartment, designed to give passengers in-flight internet access, is connected to the plane's control, navigation and communication systems, an FAA report reveals.

Boeing spokeswoman Lori Gunter wouldn't go into detail about how Boeing is tackling the issue but says it is employing a combination of solutions that involves some physical separation of the networks, known as "air gaps," and software firewalls. Gunter also mentioned other technical solutions, which she said are proprietary and didn't want to discuss in public.

"There are places where the networks are not touching, and there are places where they are," she said.

http://www.wired.com/2008/01/dreamliner-security/

http://cryptome.info/faa010208.htm

Re: German nuclear plant infected with computer viruses, operator says

#16

Post by reacweb »

TillE wrote: post #4
elcapitan wrote: post #2

I found that part much more .. interesting: > As an example, Hypponen said he had recently spoken to a European aircraft maker that said it cleans the cockpits of its planes every week of malware designed for Android phones. The malware spread to the planes only because factory employees were charging their phones with the USB port in the cockpit.

The next sentence pretty much confirms my impression that this claim is almost certainly bullshit: > Because the plane runs a different operating system, nothing would befall it. But it would pass the virus on to other devices that plugged into the charger. That's just...not how computers work.

I think the sentence "But it would pass the virus on to other devices that plugged into the charger." comes from the reporter, showing that he does not understand computers. It is plausible that malwares were copied without being executed.

Re: German nuclear plant infected with computer viruses, operator says

#17

Post by philfrasty »

phreeza wrote: post #10

Possibly important to note the timing of this admission right on the heels of the announcement of our defense minister that she wants to build a 'cyber' division in the army with 13500 people working there. Thats almost 10% of our armed forces. I could only find decent reporting about this in german: http://www.tagesspiegel.de/politik/plaene-der-verteidigungsm...

Yeah, totally agree. They also have aggressive print advertising everywhere (here in Munich) for this campaign.

I wonder if they can attract any real talent though? Only people I know willingly wanted to work for the Bundeswehr eiter did not have the grades to study elsewhere or went to Afghanistan for the money.

Re: German nuclear plant infected with computer viruses, operator says

#18

Post by fao_ »

vixen99 wrote: post #9
SonicSoul wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

nice catch. can't help but think of Independence Day when Jeff Goldblum and Will Smith infect alien mothership with a mac virus from a 3.5 floppy which specifically disabled its protective shield. "will give it a cold" Edit: corrected it's its

'it is protective shield?'. That's what you've written in effect. http://www.merriam-webster.com/video/its-vs-its

> disabled its protective shield

I think you added an apostrophe by accident, or the poster corrected the mistake.

Re: German nuclear plant infected with computer viruses, operator says

#19

Post by eterm »

reacweb wrote: post #16
TillE wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The next sentence pretty much confirms my impression that this claim is almost certainly bullshit: > Because the plane runs a different operating system, nothing would befall it. But it would pass the virus on to other devices that plugged into the charger. That's just...not how computers work.

I think the sentence "But it would pass the virus on to other devices that plugged into the charger." comes from the reporter, showing that he does not understand computers. It is plausible that malwares were copied without being executed.

A virus is something that copies itself. If something is copying a virus, it is infected.

So the virus would have to infect both android and the cockpit to spread from phone to cockpit to phone.

Re: German nuclear plant infected with computer viruses, operator says

#20

Post by NickM »

TillE wrote: post #4
elcapitan wrote: post #2

I found that part much more .. interesting: > As an example, Hypponen said he had recently spoken to a European aircraft maker that said it cleans the cockpits of its planes every week of malware designed for Android phones. The malware spread to the planes only because factory employees were charging their phones with the USB port in the cockpit.

The next sentence pretty much confirms my impression that this claim is almost certainly bullshit: > Because the plane runs a different operating system, nothing would befall it. But it would pass the virus on to other devices that plugged into the charger. That's just...not how computers work.

I think they mean "because the computers that fly the plane run a different OS than the computers that control the in-flight entertainment". The malware isn't going to cause the plane to crash, but it could still execute and spread itself via those little seat-back touch screens with their USB ports.
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