NASA has confirmed that a Virus was discovered on the laptops currently being used on the International Space Station (ISS). According to a spokesperson’s comments to tech magazine Wired, this is not the first time it has happened.
NASA catches a small Virus...apparently this isn\'t the first time. (IMG:J.Anderson)
The story starts with information found in ISS 30P SORR last week. According to that report, as well as reading other ISS Daily Reports, the virus is harmless and was not discovered on any mission critical systems.
The virus is the 'W32.Gammima.AG worm,' a worm that spreads by copying itself to removable media. It also steals passwords to various online games, and is very low risk according to Symantec.
The reports issued by the ISS crew explain that the virus likely came from a flash card used by Russian cosmonaut Sergey Volkov. Later Volkov updated the AV protection on the station, and cleaned the other laptops.
“CDR Volkov began his day by downlinking yesterday’s Norton AntiVirus (NAV) data from the RSK-1 laptop scan. Later in the day, FE-2 Chamitoff also ran the scan on the SSC (Station Support Computer) to be used for downloading today’s 1553-bus comm files of the JEMRMS (Japanese Experiment Module/Robotic Manipulator System) Checkout #4 from the RLT (RMS Laptop Terminal) to the OpsLAN for downlinking. [All A31p laptops onboard are currently being loaded with latest NAV software and updated definition files for increased protection.]” – August 22 Daily Report.
"This is not the first time we have had a worm or a virus," NASA spokesman Kelly Humphries said to Wired. "It's not a frequent occurrence, but this isn't the first time."
Comments on Wired, as well as other blogs online talking about the issue, are asking why NASA isn’t using Linux or 'secure' software. These comments stem from a breakdown on the issue, which said in part:
“It was noted that most of the IP laptops and some of the payload laptops do NOT provide virus protection/detection software.”
Other comments blamed famed alien fighters Will Smith and Jeff Goldblum for uploading the virus, despite the theory that one of the flash cards was infected.
NASA, citing IT Security, would not issue comment on whether the infected laptops were connected to mission-critical systems.
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