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* DECEMBER 17, 2009

Insurgents Hack U.S. Drones
$26 Software Is Used to Breach Key Weapons in Iraq; Iranian Backing Suspected


By SIOBHAN GORMAN, YOCHI J. DREAZEN and AUGUST COLE

WASHINGTON -- Militants in Iraq have used $26 off-the-shelf software to intercept live video feeds from U.S. Predator drones, potentially providing them with information they need to evade or monitor U.S. military operations.

Senior defense and intelligence officials said Iranian-backed insurgents intercepted the video feeds by taking advantage of an unprotected communications link in some of the remotely flown planes' systems. Shiite fighters in Iraq used software programs such as SkyGrabber -- available for as little as $25.95 on the Internet -- to regularly capture drone video feeds, according to a person familiar with reports on the matter.
The State of U.S. Intelligence

U.S. officials say there is no evidence that militants were able to take control of the drones or otherwise interfere with their flights. Still, the intercepts could give America's enemies battlefield advantages by removing the element of surprise from certain missions and making it easier for insurgents to determine which roads and buildings are under U.S. surveillance.

The drone intercepts mark the emergence of a shadow cyber war within the U.S.-led conflicts overseas. They also point to a potentially serious vulnerability in Washington's growing network of unmanned drones, which have become the American weapon of choice in both Afghanistan and Pakistan.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1261022 ... =yhoofront

Fuckin' ragheads are pretty engenious.

Now we need to figure out a way to put FAKE video onboard.

Or better yet, figure out a way to home in on their software that's grabbing the video feed...

Sounds like just an encryption issue... easy to fix
I'm not sure if this is embarrassing as much as it is enlightening
Under estimating the capability of ones foe is the single most common error of the superior fighting force

Chizzang wrote:Sounds like just an encryption issue... easy to fix
I'm not sure if this is embarrassing as much as it is enlightening
Under estimating the capability of ones foe is the single most common error of the superior fighting force

It was only the video feed, and the problem has already been fixed, with encryption as Cleets suggests.

The software for the video feed hack was created by the Russians. Go figure!

Chizzang wrote:Sounds like just an encryption issue... easy to fix
I'm not sure if this is embarrassing as much as it is enlightening
Under estimating the capability of ones foe is the single most common error of the superior fighting force

Either way, we have been there pushing eight years now, how long have they had this capability? I still think it is embarrassing that the number one superpower in the world ( supposedly ) is showed up by people throwing rocks.

polsongrizz wrote:

Chizzang wrote:Sounds like just an encryption issue... easy to fix
I'm not sure if this is embarrassing as much as it is enlightening
Under estimating the capability of ones foe is the single most common error of the superior fighting force

Either way, we have been there pushing eight years now, how long have they had this capability? I still think it is embarrassing that the number one superpower in the world ( supposedly ) is showed up by people throwing rocks.

get used to it...
Just about the time we're completely out of there a Republican will get elected and we'll start an "all new" war with "all new" evidence for troop escalation...
The War Machine is just like the Global Warming Machine - it needs a creative never ending line of bullsh!t to keep it freshly fueled and rolling..

polsongrizz wrote:

Chizzang wrote:Sounds like just an encryption issue... easy to fix
I'm not sure if this is embarrassing as much as it is enlightening
Under estimating the capability of ones foe is the single most common error of the superior fighting force

Either way, we have been there pushing eight years now, how long have they had this capability? I still think it is embarrassing that the number one superpower in the world ( supposedly ) is showed up by people throwing rocks.

As we have been in every protracted conflict since Viet Nam.

AZGrizFan wrote:As we have been in every protracted conflict since Viet Nam.

Which I believe was more or less the first war with extensive television coverage.

Coincidence? I think not.

just shows how our enemies have caught up to us and have a stronger desire to beat us than we do to beat them. Time to retreat and let these people govern their own lands. THEY DO NOT WANT OUR BRAND OF DEMOCRACY!!! HOW MANY MORE YOUNG AMERICAN LIVES MUST WE ALLOW TO DIE!!! NO FREEDOMS ARE BEING PROTECTED FROM SENDING OUR CHILDREN TO DIE FOR WASHINGTON'S WARS!!!

catamount man wrote:just shows how our enemies have caught up to us and have a stronger desire to beat us than we do to beat them. Time to retreat and let these people govern their own lands. THEY DO NOT WANT OUR BRAND OF DEMOCRACY!!! HOW MANY MORE YOUNG AMERICAN LIVES MUST WE ALLOW TO DIE!!! NO FREEDOMS ARE BEING PROTECTED FROM SENDING OUR CHILDREN TO DIE FOR WASHINGTON'S WARS!!!

Therein lies the problem.

AZGrizFan wrote:

catamount man wrote:just shows how our enemies have caught up to us and have a stronger desire to beat us than we do to beat them. Time to retreat and let these people govern their own lands. THEY DO NOT WANT OUR BRAND OF DEMOCRACY!!! HOW MANY MORE YOUNG AMERICAN LIVES MUST WE ALLOW TO DIE!!! NO FREEDOMS ARE BEING PROTECTED FROM SENDING OUR CHILDREN TO DIE FOR WASHINGTON'S WARS!!!

Therein lies the problem.

Duh..
Any time you're in somebody's country - they will have a deep desire
Ask the Russians

We can't even explain why we're over there and we're supposed to have a deep desire to win..?

catamount man wrote:just shows how our enemies have caught up to us and have a stronger desire to beat us than we do to beat them. Time to retreat and let these people govern their own lands. THEY DO NOT WANT OUR BRAND OF DEMOCRACY!!! HOW MANY MORE YOUNG AMERICAN LIVES MUST WE ALLOW TO DIE!!! NO FREEDOMS ARE BEING PROTECTED FROM SENDING OUR CHILDREN TO DIE FOR WASHINGTON'S WARS!!!

RABBLE RABBLE!

catamount man wrote:just shows how our enemies have caught up to us and have a stronger desire to beat us than we do to beat them. Time to retreat and let these people govern their own lands. THEY DO NOT WANT OUR BRAND OF DEMOCRACY!!! HOW MANY MORE YOUNG AMERICAN LIVES MUST WE ALLOW TO DIE!!! NO FREEDOMS ARE BEING PROTECTED FROM SENDING OUR CHILDREN TO DIE FOR WASHINGTON'S WARS!!!

Game, set and match. Nice one Cman. Next topic.

polsongrizz wrote:

Chizzang wrote:Sounds like just an encryption issue... easy to fix
I'm not sure if this is embarrassing as much as it is enlightening
Under estimating the capability of ones foe is the single most common error of the superior fighting force

Either way, we have been there pushing eight years now, how long have they had this capability? I still think it is embarrassing that the number one superpower in the world ( supposedly ) is showed up by people throwing rocks.

I bet thats what the British thought when we beat them.

Chizzang wrote:

AZGrizFan wrote:
Therein lies the problem.

Duh..
Any time you're in somebody's country - they will have a deep desire
Ask the Russians

We can't even explain why we're over there and we're supposed to have a deep desire to win..?

The Russians did turn tail in Afghanistan, but more recently, they did a pretty good job of kicking Georgia's ass.

native wrote:

Chizzang wrote:

Duh..
Any time you're in somebody's country - they will have a deep desire
Ask the Russians

We can't even explain why we're over there and we're supposed to have a deep desire to win..?

The Russians did turn tail in Afghanistan, but more recently, they did a pretty good job of kicking Georgia's ass.

Well
We have a volunteer military system - so I won't get too sanctimonious about the enthusiasm with which we throw lives away -and - for reasons that can hardly be explained and that seem to change monthly - depending on which official your speaking to...

slycat wrote:

polsongrizz wrote: Either way, we have been there pushing eight years now, how long have they had this capability? I still think it is embarrassing that the number one superpower in the world ( supposedly ) is showed up by people throwing rocks.

I bet thats what the British thought when we beat them.

Well then, perhaps we can go back to calling them freedom fighters again, and Karzai can be there George Washington.