US Air Force drones hacked
2011-10-13 19:08
Washington - The US Air Force says a computer virus that hit the unmanned drone programme last month was not directed at the military systems, but was common malware used to steal log-ins and passwords used in online gaming.
Air Force officials said the virus infected ground systems that are separate from drone flight controls and did not affect operations.
An Air Force Space Command spokesperson, Colonel Kathleen Cook, says the infection was found on a small, portable hard drive that transferred information between systems at Creech Air Force Base in Nevada.
The Air Force says the virus did not log computer keystrokes, but instead was designed to steal passwords from people who gamble or play games like Mafia Wars online.
Pilots based at Creech fly drones remotely over Iraq and Afghanistan.
- SAPA