5 replies to this topic

[Saint_Michael]

Well it would seem that the Pentagon got itself a juicy computer virus and banning all flash drives from entering the building and of course confiscating flash drives that do come in. Well that is what you get for letting people bring in their own computers or bring those flash drives outside a building. Of course, if it was an outside source and what they say that it goes after storage specifically then ok, but still you think they would be replacing the hard drives as well because of such a virus. Even then I know we are not getting all the story about what is going on and what so who knows what else they are doing about this.

SOURCE

http://tech.yahoo.com/news/ap/20081121/ap_...on_cyber_threat

[Echo_of_thunder]

honestly this does not suprise me one bit. Flash Drives are so small yet so big you can take them any place and upload or download anything. Suprised they did not do this sooner.

[darasen]

Chances are the infection came from an outside source. Probably from a contractor or contracting company. Having worked in D.C. including some Department of Defense subcontracting work I wish I could say that security was always as tight as it should be.

[Quatrux]

but seriously, how can you bring some data into your computer, whats the difference of having a CD or a Floppy disk? it also can carry a virus, just using floppy disk drives these days is quite stupid and I really can say that flash keys are much better than a CD, it all depends on people and the way they are using their computers, most of them are newbies I guess and just knows how to use Office or something like that and because of using their usb flash keys at home they can catch some virus, I rather see pentagon getting a anti virus software or some IT stuff to work on it to remove the threat when installing a flash drive key or when you insert it..

[darasen]

Quatrux, on Nov 24 2008, 11:46 AM, said:

but seriously, how can you bring some data into your computer, whats the difference of having a CD or a Floppy disk? it also can carry a virus, just using floppy disk drives these days is quite stupid and I really can say that flash keys are much better than a CD, it all depends on people and the way they are using their computers, most of them are newbies I guess and just knows how to use Office or something like that and because of using their usb flash keys at home they can catch some virus, I rather see pentagon getting a anti virus software or some IT stuff to work on it to remove the threat when installing a flash drive key or when you insert it..

Actually they are preventing all removable media at the moment. Of course they use Anti virus , but as we all, should, know they are never 100%, particularly if the virus were placed intentionally. I, for one, believe that the U.S government should abandon the Windows platform entirely. I think that in and of itself would increase security greatly.

[varalu]

Saint_Michael, on Nov 24 2008, 12:05 AM, said:

Well it would seem that the Pentagon got itself a juicy computer virus and banning all flash drives from entering the building and of course confiscating flash drives that do come in. Well that is what you get for letting people bring in their own computers or bring those flash drives outside a building. Of course, if it was an outside source and what they say that it goes after storage specifically then ok, but still you think they would be replacing the hard drives as well because of such a virus. Even then I know we are not getting all the story about what is going on and what so who knows what else they are doing about this.

SOURCE

http://tech.yahoo.com/news/ap/20081121/ap_...on_cyber_threat

These days flash drives are getting more and more sophisticated that it can hold an OS and so many things can be done.
Its only right that these are considered as a threat and measures are being taken...

Not to forget about the limitation of these drives these days... Like they are getting smaller and smaller and growing in size.... Sure they can hold so much of sensitive data. In fact its a threat in many areas and measures are being considered to prevent this.