Talk about idiotic (predator drones with zero encryption)

[Primefalcon]

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2009/12/predator-drones-use-less-encryption-than-your-tv.ars?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss

They've known that these terrorists get a lot of old tech from the soviets, and they obviously have Internet connections to do their death video's and such, how could you not think they'd be bale to watch a simple unencrypted feed?

[LinuxFanBoi]

--In creepy terrorist sounding voice...


"Hey, Mohammed, check this out! isn't that our neighborhood? Maybe we should hide in the cave before they see us."

[Ric_NYC]

Who are the enemies?



The Indian press is abuzz with news that Indian Home Ministry officials have said they are investigating whether Pakistani-American terror suspect David Coleman Headley was working as a "double agent."
...
The US has not allowed Indian authorities to interrogate Headley over the Mumbai attacks, much to India's consternation.


http://www.csmonitor.com/World/terrorism-security/2009/1216/India-Was-Mumbai-suspect-a-double-agent-for-US

[oldsoundguy]

They didn't even have to hack it .. they used OFF THE SHELF video reception software. WINDOWS based.

Most military software is special designed Linux/Unix based and encrypted. (Nothing worse than a BSOD in the middle of a fire fight!)

But somebody HIGH RANKING dropped the potato on this one!

[LinuxFanBoi]

They didn't even have to hack it .. they used OFF THE SHELF video reception software. WINDOWS based.

Most military software is special designed Linux/Unix based and encrypted. (Nothing worse than a BSOD in the middle of a fire fight!)

But somebody HIGH RANKING dropped the potato on this one!

In the article, they knew they where vulnerable 10 years ago, but they decided not to do anything about it until they found our enemies with laptops containing hours of video feeds from our own Predator drones. No wonder we haven't been able to find Bin Laden, The dude had a Dell!

[Primefalcon]

In the article, they knew they where vulnerable 10 years ago, but they decided not to do anything about it until they found our enemies with laptops containing hours of video feeds from our own Predator drones. No wonder we haven't been able to find Bin Laden, The dude had a Dell!
That's the bit that gets me

[LinuxFanBoi]

After my time in the US Army, this story comes as no surprise to me, what so ever.

[n0glu3]

--In creepy terrorist sounding voice...

Lmao.

[Frak]

After my time in the US Army, this story comes as no surprise to me, what so ever.
Navy, same.

[julianb]

Bizarre and funny references to proprietary software/hardware:

using laptops and a $30 piece of Russian software
Um, what? You mean they had to PAY for russian software rather than bootleg it? (or did they pay the $30 once and then share with all their friends?)


the Predator's maker uses some proprietary communications gear, so off-the-shelf encryption tools don't all work.
I hear debian runs on almost everything. Really... shoulda used debian and debian-compatible hardware. never woulda had this problem.

[LinuxFanBoi]

the Predator's maker uses some proprietary communications gear, so off-the-shelf encryption tools don't all work.

I would normally question how they would be able to make any statement as to what hardware and/or software was designed into this aircraft, but then I just think about what the core of the article is. It seems they're not concerned about keeping secrets. Makes me wonder if you could buy a kit at a local R/C hobby store and build one yourself.

Press: General, Don't you think something of this nature should have been classified at the highest level of secrecy?
General: Are you kidding? do you ave any idea how much that costs? We're in the middle of a recession!

[red_Marvin]

Um, what? You mean they had to PAY for russian software rather than bootleg it? (or did they pay the $30 once and then share with all their friends?)
You are obviously confusing pirates and terrorists. They are not yet the same.

It does not do the creators/buyers/QA-dept/heck...anybody credit when military intelligence is transferred with the combination of "wireless" and "unencrypted". *facevegetation*.

[LinuxFanBoi]

We spend billions on spy satellites, spy aircraft and "top secret" technology to gather intelligence on our enemy. While our enemy only needs to turn on CNN or a erect a set of rabbit ears.

Remember the incident where Geraldo Rivera went on Live news holding a map in his hands pointing out where our troops where, where they where going and what their intended target was? If you want to have journalism in the field, that's fine! but this is war, not a Sunday afternoon football game.

To me this is no different only this time we cut out the middle man and gave our play book to the enemy directly.

[Frak]

We spend billions on spy satellites, spy aircraft and "top secret" technology to gather intelligence on our enemy. While our enemy only needs to turn on CNN or a erect a set of rabbit ears.

Remember the incident where Geraldo Rivera went on Live news holding a map in his hands pointing out where our troops where, where they where going and what their intended target was? If you want to have journalism in the field, that's fine! but this is war, not a Sunday afternoon football game.

To me this is no different only this time we cut out the middle man and gave our play book to the enemy directly.
It's the whole process of the DoD privatizing war.

[Giant Speck]

Navy, same.

Currently Air Force, same.

[LinuxFanBoi]

they used OFF THE SHELF video reception software.

Just when you think there's nothing on TV. Perhaps they wanted to make some kind of artistic point by allowing a terrorist to watch his last few moments through the nose camera of a smart bomb.

[Frak]

Just when you think there's nothing on TV. Perhaps they wanted to make some kind of artistic point by allowing a terrorist to watch his last few moments through the nose camera of a smart bomb.
"I bet that idiot feels like an a"

[tacantara]

[In a "different" kind of terrorist voice] Silence! Or I kill you!

Army Reserve, been home from Iraq since late August (end of tour, thank God). It amazes me how much the terrorists latch on to technology, yet the folks in the Pentagon haven't figured out how to encrypt the darn video feeds from the drones. Give the Generals/Admirals a staff of IT guys (preferably knowledgeable in Linux) and let's fix the problem.

[LinuxFanBoi]

[In a "different" kind of terrorist voice] Silence! Or I kill you!

Army Reserve, been home from Iraq since late August (end of tour, thank God). It amazes me how much the terrorists latch on to technology, yet the folks in the Pentagon haven't figured out how to encrypt the darn video feeds from the drones. Give the Generals/Admirals a staff of IT guys (preferably knowledgeable in Linux) and let's fix the problem.

I agree, but they don't exactly come to the forums to ask for help.

[Crunchy the Headcrab]

I assure you, they already have unix experts. Just because they didn't use them in this instance doesn't mean they are totally inept. You have to keep in mind that the military doesn't actually build most of it's own weapons. You'd think the arms company would have thought this through a little better AND that the military would've demanded it, but there is plenty of blame to go around.

[Frak]

It's the whole process of the DoD privatizing war.


I assure you, they already have unix experts. Just because they didn't use them in this instance doesn't mean they are totally inept. You have to keep in mind that the military doesn't actually build most of it's own weapons. You'd think the arms company would have thought this through a little better AND that the military would've demanded it, but there is plenty of blame to go around.

this.

[oldsoundguy]

Add to this folks or:

"This Just In" .. not only was information from Predator views, but GROUND TO GROUND communications are sent IN THE OPEN. (estimated time to correct the "flaw" ..... 10 years!) .. time for the code talkers again!

NO WONDER most raids are unsuccessful!

Save money, feed MS, and our kids get killed in the process. Another Bush legacy?

[LinuxFanBoi]

keep in mind that the military doesn't actually build most of it's own weapons.

I have a great idea, let's outsource our weapons production to the same people who cut corners making heparin, poison our pet food and paint our kid's toys with lead. Surely nothing good can come of this.

[Crunchy the Headcrab]

Another Bush legacy?
Predators were originally made in the 90's? Fail at History much? Let's keep politics out of this.

Translation: this isn't something that should have been FIXED. It should have been carefully thought out in the first place.

[mehaga]

Let's keep politics out of this. LoL

[incognito]

Hey all:

So if you RTWA they were using skygrabber. Has anyone seen similar software for linux (via google some one suggested skyview, but it looks like this is more of a sky map and less of signal scanner)?