Did you know there is no anti-virus in outer space?
By Ruth Belena
@paid2write (5201)
August 30, 2008 7:16am CST
The laptops on the International Space Station don't have any anti-virus software installed, and have been infected by a virus, which steals user login information for various online games!
NASA believes the laptops were infected from a USB flash drive or memory stick taken onboard by one of the astronauts.
I think they are lucky it was not a serious virus that closed down all the systems!
It has caused a lot of embarrassment for NASA, rather than any real harm.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7583805.stm
After all their training how can astronauts be so dumb?
5 people like this
8 responses
@lazeebee (5461)
• Malaysia
1 Sep 08
Yup, this is incredible - they have spent so much on space research and travel, and they have no protection against software virus!
For all their sophistication and high-level systems, they have left out something so simple, that even school-kids using computers would know about! 
2 people like this
@paid2write (5201)
•
1 Sep 08
I think it may have been overlooked because of all the other things they had to think about.
1 person likes this
@xplp211 (253)
• China
1 Sep 08
Virus exists everywhere! Several years ago, when I knew the mobile phones could also be infected with virus, I was surprised. So I am not so surprised this time when I know the ISS laptop was infected. But truely as you said, the fact that "after so many trainings, the most intelligent astronauts did such a dumb thing" surprise me a little.
I think this warning will help them to improve their software protection and will reduce the real harm to happen. Luckily, it just caused embarrassment!
2 people like this
@paid2write (5201)
•
1 Sep 08
Yes it is a good warning and will ensure nothing more serious will happen in future.
@littleowl (7157)
•
30 Aug 08
Hi p2w..you would of thought that the computers would of been installed with anti-virus..that is really dumb of NASA not to of done that wonder what was going through their minds when they installed them anyway ...littleowl
...littleowl1 person likes this
@paid2write (5201)
•
31 Aug 08
I think it was an oversight because the laptops are probably for private use by the astronauts when they are off duty, but NASA should have known about USB drives being taken on board.
@LadyStrawberry (173)
• Slovenia
1 Sep 08
OMG! LOL This is soo funny!! :)
I had to chuckle when reading this!! :)
Yes, we keep forgetting the astronauts are only human too... :)
It would maybe make a cool SF story! lol
Thanks for posting it!! :)))
@paid2write (5201)
•
1 Sep 08
Remember what happened to HAL in 2001 A Space Odyssey - wasn't that some sort of computer virus!?!
@paid2write (5201)
•
1 Sep 08
HAL was the computer aboard a spaceship, it started taking control because it had been programmed to act like a human!
@LadyStrawberry (173)
• Slovenia
1 Sep 08
Hmm... not sure if I watched this...?
What *did* happen to him?
1 person likes this
@bryanski (497)
• Philippines
30 Aug 08
Wow this is unusual news for me.
Well, yeah they should be ashamed of such mistake but they're still humans so they do commit heavy mistakes sometimes too. 
At least the silly virus did not shut down their systems or even bump their spaceship to earth. 
Anyways, they're still helping a lot in the field of science so 
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At least the silly virus did not shut down their systems or even bump their spaceship to earth.
Anyways, they're still helping a lot in the field of science so .2 people like this
@paid2write (5201)
•
30 Aug 08
You are quite right to say they are still human, and we all make mistakes. I'm sure they are doing a great job up there in space!
@farthestpoint (55)
• United Arab Emirates
30 Aug 08
Hahahahahahhahah because there is no virus in the outer space! This is hilarious.
1 person likes this
@PearlGrace (3171)
• United States
30 Aug 08
Hello paid2write.
That is so interesting that, even with all the steps NASA takes to assure there will be no computer viruses, that one still got through somehow. You would think they would have very strict rules about carrying on a USB drive. I'm thinking at least they'd have a guideline that says NASA must check every USB drive to be taken to assure no viruses are present. The BBC News article was informative.
Take care.
1 person likes this
@paid2write (5201)
•
31 Aug 08
I think they will have learned a lesson and every USB drive will be checked now, but they should have thought of this before it happened.
@paid2write (5201)
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30 Aug 08
If it had been a serious virus, and had got into the main computer, it could have been really bad!
