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Chinese hackers took over NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab


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#1 Hum

    totally wAcKed

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Posted 02 March 2012 - 16:13

Chinese hackers gained control over NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in November, which could have allowed them delete sensitive files, add user accounts to mission-critical systems, upload hacking tools, and more -- all at a central repository of U.S. space technology, according to a report released Wednesday afternoon by the Office of the Inspector General.

That report revealed scant details of an ongoing investigation into the incident against the Pasadena, Calif., lab, noting only that cyberattacks against the JPL involved Chinese-based Internet Protocol (IP) addresses.

Paul K. Martin, NASA's inspector general, put his conclusions bluntly.

"The attackers had full functional control over these networks," he wrote.

Martin released written testimony about the attacks in the report "NASA Cybersecurity: An Examination of the Agency’s Information Security," presented to the House Science, Space and Technology Committee investigations panel on Wednesday. It details a host of security lapses and breaches of protocol at the space agency.

"In 2010 and 2011, NASA reported 5,408 computer security incidents that resulted in the installation of malicious software on or unauthorized access to its systems," his report states. "These incidents spanned a wide continuum from individuals testing their skill to break into NASA systems, to well-organized criminal enterprises hacking for profit."

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#2 +chorpeac

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Posted 02 March 2012 - 16:21

Wow... really? No data encryption on the laptop? This is sad...

#3 +Xenosion

    ya im cool wanna fight about it

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Posted 02 March 2012 - 16:35

How many times does the government need to be exposed for it's incompetence before they do something about it...

#4 Open Minded

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Posted 02 March 2012 - 16:39

Why are these computers/networks connected to the friggin Internet?

#5 OP Hum

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Posted 02 March 2012 - 16:43

View PostOpen Minded, on 02 March 2012 - 16:39, said:

Why are these computers/networks connected to the friggin Internet?

So NASA workers can instant message each other. :laugh:

#6 +Xenosion

    ya im cool wanna fight about it

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Posted 02 March 2012 - 16:48

They can use an internal instant messaging server for that.

inb4 it was only a joke

#7 cropcircles

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Posted 02 March 2012 - 16:51

Chinese hackers, you mean the Chinese government.

#8 vetPink Floyd

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Posted 02 March 2012 - 16:54

lol! I work for a chem producer and all our laptops are encrypted and we have a card to boot our laptop and enter passwords. No card, no booting. The funny thing is that We often say we have too many protections, as we do not work for the us gov hahah

#9 BajiRav

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Posted 02 March 2012 - 16:56

View PostOpen Minded, on 02 March 2012 - 16:39, said:

Why are these computers/networks connected to the friggin Internet?
That was my first reaction too. :huh:

#10 nik louch

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Posted 02 March 2012 - 17:00

Quote

Chinese hackers, you mean the Chinese government.
No proof of that yet.

Quote

Why are these computers/networks connected to the friggin Internet?
Many systems are for many reasons, though primarily data exchange. The research is probably distributed. However, that is moot, because you can be connected and yet still secure as needs be.

#11 efjay

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Posted 02 March 2012 - 17:05

Working in security, I can tell you the users are always put first and measures that would make systems more secure are sometimes sidelined because some big wig doesnt want to upset the users. Till that changes this stuff will happen more frequently.

#12 Travelar

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Posted 02 March 2012 - 17:07

View Postchorpeac, on 02 March 2012 - 16:21, said:

Wow... really? No data encryption on the laptop? This is sad...

Unfortunately, there was a memo issued in 2007 from the NASA CIO prohibiting the use of full-disk encryption until an Agency-wide solution could be procured and the infrastructure implemented. It hasn't happened yet... and the memo is still in effect.

http://www.nasa.gov/...Rest-Freeze.pdf

#13 DocM

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Posted 02 March 2012 - 17:15

View Postnik louch, on 02 March 2012 - 17:00, said:


No proof of that yet.

Yet being the key word, and suspected - or at least some faction of it.

Remember: the Chinese space program is not civilian but is run by the People’s Liberation Army. If this is simply logistical control for a mainly civilian purpose, or fully operational control is still a matter of debate. Their internal statements are contradictory.

#14 +chorpeac

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Posted 02 March 2012 - 17:26

View PostTravelar, on 02 March 2012 - 17:07, said:

Unfortunately, there was a memo issued in 2007 from the NASA CIO prohibiting the use of full-disk encryption until an Agency-wide solution could be procured and the infrastructure implemented. It hasn't happened yet... and the memo is still in effect.

http://www.nasa.gov/...Rest-Freeze.pdf

Wow... :wacko:

#15 arachnoid

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Posted 02 March 2012 - 21:30

So did they find any proof of aliens :rolleyes: :D