Pierluigi Paganini January 15, 2012

To news like this we are dangerously getting used, the scenarios change but the dynamics are often the same, viruses used such as cyber weapon that infect critical structures, causing loss of valuable information and that block system of target systems.

The news has been announced  by the same “Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)” that has discovered a malware last Jan 6th. The agent has been found on a computer that is usally accessed by its employees. The main problem is that the malware had accessed to sensible information leaking them outside. Actually the Agency is investigation on the event but it is clear that the malware was not there for a chance.  Who was behind the malware production and why? The event confirm in my opinion how could be dangerous new cyber threats and ho is difficult protect the overall infrastucture from them.

But which information has been leaked outside? Seem to be that information regarding unmanned robotic spacecraft used to transfer component to Space Station have bean stolen. Also other info have been exposed like email addresses login credentials.
That isn’t the first time that the Agency is hit by a malware, it is already happened to the same computer last year, fortunately in that occasion no theft was registered, at least I hope.

Consider that the aerospace industry is of strategic importance for every nation, because in it you can find information regarding the main technologic innovations of a Country, concepts tahat are likely to be used in subsequent years in the civil sphere.
Offending the sector through virus has no doubt the sole intent of being in possession of information so valuable.
The defense of the future of any nation today, more and more, go to the defense of its cyberspace.

Pierluigi Paganini