Malware slurps rocket data from Japanese space agency Malware on a computer in the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has been stealing data on the latest Nipponese solid-fuel rocket system. JAXA said that a security sweep of its systems on November 21 showed that a single computer had been subverted by the malware, and it was not clear if this was a targeted cyber-attack …
An yet you can still still stuff remotely, if the computer system isn't connected to the internet.
For example by infecting worker pen drive or other portable storage unit, with malware, design it to infect any system its connected to, look for information you want, rocket designs, nuclear warhead design, that kind of thing, download information to the portable storage unit, then all it has to do is wait until storage unit has access to an computer connected to the internet and send back the information it masters servers, probably in Tehran or North Korea, Beijing.. You could even design the Malware to place a package on any portable storage device connected to the computer, giving it multiple routes home or to infect more computers.
This is how the US and Israel manage to infect the Iranian enrichment sites, through the use of employees pen drives, portable harddrives, even through it wasn't connect to the internet.
Of cause you can prevent this by not allowing workers to connect up pen drives or portable hard drive to your computer systems in the first place . Which I am sure the Iranians have now done, and I am sure the Japanese will not be that far behind in implementing such bans.
An yet you can still steal stuff remotely if the computer system isn't connected to the internet.
For example by infecting worker pen drive or other portable storage unit, with Malware, design it to infect any system its connected to and look for information you want, rocket designs, nuclear warhead design, for example, download information to the portable storage unit, then all it has to do is wait until the storage unit has access to an computer connected to the internet and send back the information back to it masters servers, probably in Tehran, North Korea, Beijing, Jerusalem, Moscow, GCHQ, America. You could even design the Malware package to be place on any portable storage device connected to the computer, giving it multiple routes home or to look for more intelligence on other computers or both.
This is how the US and Israel manage to infect the Iranian enrichment sites, through the use of employees pen drives, portable hard drives, even through it wasn't connect to the internet.
Of cause you can prevent this by not allowing workers to connect up pen drives or portable hard drive to your computer systems in the first place . Which I am sure the Iranians have now done, and I am sure the Japanese will not be far behind in implementing such bans.
The Isp difference alone should stop anyone starting a new solid launch vehicle today.
The "simplicity" and cheapness are both very doubtful once you factor in the support costs of moving round large lumps of explosive.
Mfg is relatively simple but diagnosing problems is tough.
Japan has historical connections to solids and I think their first orbital vehicle was a solid but anyone targeting this tech is looking for ballistic missile tech, not a launcher. Looks like they now have it.
China has just announced a clever new solid-fuel rocket design, which may be ready for a test flight as early as next summer. Rumor has it the rocket may be used to launch the C-II cargo vehicle which has also just recently been revealed. The Chinese civil space agency, named redarmii, said it had been inspired by early success of the technology during test firings.
Many years ago, Germany wanted to steal a copy of the Concord designs. The people holding them knew it was only a matter of time before the Germans got hold of them. So they made a special copy with a few subtle flaws and let it get leaked.
Sure enough the Germans tried to make an actual plane from the designs, including this flaw, and were never able to get it to work properly.
Sometimes, letting them have what they want (or at least let them think they have) is better than trying to keep the place overly secure.
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