Hackers gained "full functional control" of key Nasa computers in 2011, the agency's inspector general has told US lawmakers.


Paul K Martin said hackers took over Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) computers and "compromised the accounts of the most privileged JPL users".

He said the attack, involving Chinese IP addresses, was under investigation.

In a statement, Nasa said it had "made significant progress to protect the agency's IT systems".

Mr Martin's testimony on Nasa's cybersecurity was submitted to the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology's Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight.

State of security

In the document, he outlined how investigators believed the attack had involved "Chinese-based internet protocol [IP] addresses".

He said that the attackers had "full system access" and would have been able to "modify, copy, or delete sensitive files" or "upload hacking tools to steal user credentials and compromise other Nasa systems".

Mr Martin outlined how the agency suffered "5,408 computer security incidents" between 2010 and 2011.

He also noted that "between April 2009 and April 2011, Nasa reported the loss or theft of 48 Agency mobile computing devices".

In one incident an unencrypted notebook computer was lost containing details of the algorithms - the mathematical models - used to control the International Space Station.

Nasa told the BBC that "at no point in time have operations of the International Space Station been in jeopardy due to a data breach".
Mixed motives

Mr Martin said Nasa was a "target-rich environment for cyber attacks".

He said that the motivation of the hackers ranged from "individuals testing their skill to break into Nasa systems, to well-organized criminal enterprises hacking for profit, to intrusions that may have been sponsored by foreign intelligence services".

But while Mr Martin criticised aspects of Nasa's cybersecurity he noted investigations had resulted in "arrests and convictions of foreign nationals in China, Great Britain, Italy, Nigeria, Portugal, Romania, Turkey, and Estonia".

Nasa said it was working to implement the security improvements Mr Martin suggested in his testimony.

However the chairman of the congressional subcommittee, Rep Paul Broun, quoted in an online report of proceedings, said: "Despite this progress, the threat to Nasa's information security is persistent, and ever changing. Unless Nasa is able to constantly adapt - their data, systems, and operations will continue to be endangered."


http://packetstormsecurity.org/news/view/20678/Hackers-Had-Full-Functional-Control-Of-Nasa-Computers.html

Slyr0x:

Hackers gained "full functional control" of key Nasa computers in 2011, the agency's inspector general has told US lawmakers.

But while Mr Martin criticised aspects of Nasa's cybersecurity he noted investigations had resulted in "arrests and convictions of foreign nationals in China, Great Britain, Italy, Nigeria, Portugal, Romania, Turkey, and Estonia".

Wetin Nigeria de do for d list ?

instinctg:

Wetin Nigeria de do for d list ?

Remember the Nigerian that got a NASA employee's computer infected with a Remote-Access Tool? They met via a dating site, he sent her an attachment, she opened it and BOOOM! She unwittingly gave the dude "unrestricted" access to her files. . .He later got caught tho. .

There is nothing these hackers can't get into!

My own question here is "wetin" concern "agberu" with overload, because Nigeria is not a technology driven country, even in the area of internet aor computer appreciation we are still lagging behind. So why is Nigeria being mentioned in this matter? Please i need more light into this.

I think NASA should up their game, Top Secret stuff shouldn't be on personal computers and they should use internal WANS to make it easier to track moles.

do@home:

My own question here is "wetin" concern "agberu" with overload, because Nigeria is not a technology driven country, even in the area of internet aor computer appreciation we are still lagging behind. So why is Nigeria being mentioned in this matter? Please i need more light into this.

bro, we r talking individual nd nt national now. D fact dat 9ja is nt 'tech advanced' doesnt mean there aren't guys out here who can hold their own any time of d day. Guys no dey wait 4 skul again o! Wise up nd stand up 2 b ur own man.

bro, we r talking individual nd nt national now. D fact dat 9ja is nt 'tech advanced' doesnt mean there aren't guys out here who can hold their own any time of d day. Guys no dey wait 4 skul again o! Wise up nd stand up 2 b ur own man.

I concur with this statement. If you happen to go to any internationally renowned tech institute, you'd be amazed at the "brains" that have been drained out of other parts of the world; Nigeria inclusive.

That's not good.

Why would hackers attack nasa computers?

A few years of coding shouldnt give you the license to hack sensitive data like that. The stuff nasa deals with is highly technological and not child's play like when you claim to have hacked nigeria's senate website which almost nobody looks at to begin with.

Were they trying to sabotage nasa on behalf of another country?


No code of ethics-that's too bad.

The end of civilization.

That's not good.

Why would hackers attack nasa computers?

A few years of coding shouldnt give you the license to hack sensitive data like that. The stuff nasa deals with is highly technological and not child's play like when you claim to have hacked nigeria's senate website which almost nobody looks at to begin with.

Were they trying to sabotage nasa on behalf of another country?


No code of ethics-that's too bad.

The end of civilization.

What are you talking about, the greater the challenge the juicer and more accomplished a hacker gets, weytin concern hacker with "code of ethics"
Why wouldnt hackers hacke any system, ??

tpia@:

That's not good.

Why would hackers attack nasa computers?

A few years of coding shouldnt give you the license to hack sensitive data like that. The stuff nasa deals with is highly technological and not child's play like when you claim to have hacked nigeria's senate website which almost nobody looks at to begin with.

Were they trying to sabotage nasa on behalf of another country?


No code of ethics-that's too bad.

The end of civilization.

Are you for real?

when it comes to naija honestly our boyz are not smilling @all. Likewise westerners don't smile with african resources.

no system is secure.

for those who dont understand- a couple of months coding doesnt mean you're now better than the great minds of other fields.

kapish?

ability to hack something or write C+++ doesnt mean you developed intelligence overnight.

i wish it were that easy but alas, no its not.

and leave my phone alone, you nitwit!!!

who you dey flex muscle for?

with the monstrous resources available to NASA, these guys should have partnered with DARPA,NSA and other national cyber-security outfits to develop some intranet. its not rocket science that no server is safe on the internet.