Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Meshnet Digital Armor To Protect Tanks

Posted by Zonk on from the web-facing-armor-plating dept.

An anonymous reader writes "General Dynamics Canada and Secure Computing have partnered to develop Meshnet, a hardware/software firewall designed to protect networks and digital devices inside tanks and other military vehicles from hostile computer and virus attacks. Without adequate protection a tech savvy enemy can infiltrate networks, manipulate information, and deny crews the data they need to participate in modern warfare. Exactly such an event happened last year to an Israeli crew, when hackers from Hezbollah eavesdropped on their communications. 'The system uses Secure Computing's off-the-shelf Sidewinder Security Appliance ... Sidewinder consolidates all major Internet security functions into a single system, providing "best-of-breed" antivirus and spyware network protection "against all types of threats, both known and unknown," according to Secure Computing.'"

4 of 164 comments (clear)

  1. Sanity check: by Jennifer+York · · Score: 5, Insightful
    Do anyone think the Hezbollah reference is a little bit odd? How does intrusion detection and firewalls stop someone from eavsdropping on communications? Please point out the reference that deatils how an Isreali tank was denied information, or misled by false information.

    This unsubstantiated BS as a justification for an obvious product placement requires more scrutiny. I don't doubt that there IS a chance that some enemy force could have the capability to "hack" a tank, but the "Exactly such an event happened last year to an Israeli crew" needs some evidence.

    --
    Dominant Meme
    1. Re:Sanity check: by ByOhTek · · Score: 3, Insightful

      So, lets say I'm connecting to my computer via SSH, and I'm a savvy individual, I notice a keyswitch, etc, and won't connect if I see something like that (suggesting a man in the middle).

      No you think "great, it'll be hard to evesdrop on my conversation, I'm running SSH, it's encrypted!"

      So, now some hacker comes along and wants to observe me. He *could* go after my SSH traffic, and try to decode it, but look! I'm not running a firewall or intrusion detection software. He figures (correctly in most cases), it will probably be easier to hack into my system, and put monitors there.

      So, without a firewall, he got in easier, and without an intrusion dection system, I didn't find out. I now have a "new" ssh client, that copies everything over to his/her system, all network traffic is sent in duplicate, the keylogger is collecting all my paswords, etc, etc, etc...

      --
      Self proclaimed typo king, and inventor of the bear destroying coffee table (patent not pending).
  2. The 800 LB gorilla in the room... by tgatliff · · Score: 3, Insightful

    No one wants to suggest the obvious, which is systems like this should never require antivirus and spyware support. For mission critical systems, the only thing they should use is embedded devices where the only way to install additional software is by flashing the firmware on the device. Also, use of a hardened kernel would be nice...

  3. Nice ad by Pedrito · · Score: 4, Insightful

    How do I get my products advertised as articles on Slashdot? I imagine that could be pretty lucrative. Who do I pay?