December 17, 2011
BRUCE A. BRENNAN BLOG FROM THE WORLD AND MY MIND
The news as I see it and the views as I want them.
December 17 is … Underdog Day and National Maple Syrup Day
BECAUSE OF FAMILY AFFAIRS, I AM PUBLISHING SUNDAY’S COLUMN TODAY ALSO
The forecast for Soldier Field this Sunday has been changed since Sam Hurd was cut by the Bears. Snow was removed. The Bears are no longer behind the eight ball.
In the coming New Year, 2012, both Groundhog Day and the State of the Union address will occur on the same day. This is an ironic juxtaposition of events. One involves a meaningless ritual in which we look to an insignificant creature of little intelligence for prognostication.
The other involves a groundhog.
The other involves a groundhog.
If this is factual, the United States government better get its money back or sue the designer and builder while putting them on a no contracts list. Speculation on how Iran was able to capture the Pentagon's stealthy RQ-170 unmanned aircraft has consumed defense and intelligence insiders for weeks. But recent reports based on sources in Tehran claim the highly-classified drone was brought down by an Iranian cyber attack.
Iranian engineers were allegedly able to hack into the unmanned aircraft's control systems and trick the drone's guidance systems to think it was landing in U.S-held territory in Afghanistan. In fact, Iranian hackers guided the CIA-operated aerial drone to land in Iran, according to today's story in the Christian Science Monitor. The so-called 'Beast of Kandahar' was conducting intelligence operations over Iran at the time of its capture. Gaps in the plane's global positioning system allowed Iranian military officials to take control of the plane from its CIA handlers. Iranian intelligence learned about the GPS vulnerabilities by examining other American drones captured by Tehran, according to the story.
If such claims are true, a cyber attack would explain the remarkable condition the RQ-170 was in when Iranian military leaders put their trophy on display live on television. The lack of damage on the aircraft led many to believe the drone was a fake. Retired three-star general and former head of Air Force intelligence David Deptula wouldn't comment whether the RQ-170 was taken down by a cyber attack. (Deptula is a member of AOL Defense Board of Contributors) But this is not the first time America's fleet of unmanned aircraft has been exploited in the cyber realm.
In 2009, Taliban forces were able to hack into live video feeds coming from Air Force Predator drones by using commercially-produced hardware. Air Force officials at the time said those gaps did not extend into the aircraft's control systems. Further, service officials claimed the data encryption and security standards built into the U.S. aerial drone fleet couldn't be cracked by the Taliban or any other adversary.
Iranian engineers were allegedly able to hack into the unmanned aircraft's control systems and trick the drone's guidance systems to think it was landing in U.S-held territory in Afghanistan. In fact, Iranian hackers guided the CIA-operated aerial drone to land in Iran, according to today's story in the Christian Science Monitor. The so-called 'Beast of Kandahar' was conducting intelligence operations over Iran at the time of its capture. Gaps in the plane's global positioning system allowed Iranian military officials to take control of the plane from its CIA handlers. Iranian intelligence learned about the GPS vulnerabilities by examining other American drones captured by Tehran, according to the story.
If such claims are true, a cyber attack would explain the remarkable condition the RQ-170 was in when Iranian military leaders put their trophy on display live on television. The lack of damage on the aircraft led many to believe the drone was a fake. Retired three-star general and former head of Air Force intelligence David Deptula wouldn't comment whether the RQ-170 was taken down by a cyber attack. (Deptula is a member of AOL Defense Board of Contributors) But this is not the first time America's fleet of unmanned aircraft has been exploited in the cyber realm.
In 2009, Taliban forces were able to hack into live video feeds coming from Air Force Predator drones by using commercially-produced hardware. Air Force officials at the time said those gaps did not extend into the aircraft's control systems. Further, service officials claimed the data encryption and security standards built into the U.S. aerial drone fleet couldn't be cracked by the Taliban or any other adversary.
Our incompetent government and military at work again. We have apparently been bettered by a military that operates out of caves and tents.
Just a couple of thoughts I had and you should too or at least think about.
BRUCE A. BRENNAN
DEKALB, IL 60115
COPYRIGHT 2011
VISIT ANY OF THE SITES LISTED FOR REVIEW, RESEARCH, ORDERING MY WRITING PRODUCTS OR TO CONTACT ME.
Email: brucebrennanlaw@aol.com
Go to web sites below to buy books by Bruce A. Brennan. It is still a good time to purchase any of my books. The books are interesting and inexpensive reads. My third book is available. It makes a great Christmas present. More information will be forthcoming about my fourth book currently under construction.
www.barnesandnoble.com (do a quick search, Title, my name)
www.smashwords.com Do a Title or author search.
Book Titles:
Holmes the Ripper
A Revengeful Mix of Short Fiction
Public EneMe?
