Worm Attack Prompts DoD To Ban Use of External Media

An anonymous reader writes "The Pentagon has suffered from a cyber attack so alarming that it has taken the unprecedented step of banning the use of external hardware devices, such as flash drives and DVDs [...] The attack came in the form of a global virus or worm that is spreading rapidly throughout a number of military networks."

Comments

This isn't alarming...

[Hahnsoo]

This sounds like common sense. Seriously. Several years ago, a military bud of mine said that the worst threat to their security is the USB flash drive.

Auto-infect

[robo_mojo]

Sounds like someone forgot to disable auto-run.

Re:They're just ignoring the real problem

[idiotwithastick]

Do you honestly think that foreign intelligence agencies won't write Linux or Macintosh viruses if it would get them into the DoD network? The OS might be part of the problem, but users are the much bigger one.

The obvious solution

[DesScorp]

Chuck Windows, and adopt Unix. I realize there are some possible implications of using Linux because of the GPL, but then use BSD. There are bright Comp Sci guys in the military and DOD. Customize a military Unix, and use it throughout all the services. In fact, I think it's long past time DOD did this. With the computerization of everything from planes to ships, now's a smart time to do it. There's no way Windows should be running a ship of war.