back to article Drone security project to go open source

Australia’s high end tech research engine NICTA will take a pivotal role in an US$18 million US Defence project which will develop software to protect the systems in drones from cyber attack. The US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) awarded the 4.5 year contract to a global consortium, which includes Australia' …

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  1. Francis Boyle Silver badge

    Acronym failure. I don't think they're even trying anymore. I mean it took me about 30 seconds to come up with High Assurance Military Electronic Global Guardian System and I'm definitely not DARPA certified.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Skip breakfast, did we?

      1. Francis Boyle Silver badge

        No

        but I couldn't find an acronym for Vegemite.

        1. Francis Boyle Silver badge

          Backronym

          of course.

  2. Robert E A Harvey
    Unhappy

    Depressed

    Please, OS contributors, boycott military applications. There are far more worthwhile projects to spend your time on! arduplane will do if you still fancy drones...

  3. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    It's not original, but

    if you want peace, you must prepare for war. Sadly, that is as true today as it was when it was first uttered.

    1. This post has been deleted by its author

    2. K

      Re: It's not original, but

      Shame.. but I have to agree, such principles have largely kept the peace between East and West... its the principle of MAD (Mutually assured destruction!).

    3. James Micallef Silver badge
      Thumb Down

      Re: It's not original, but

      "if you want peace, you must prepare for war"

      Sure, but open-sourcing weapons technology is making it far more likely that it will be used against you. Cheap drone warfare will be an advantage for the underdog (guerillas / terrorsists). There's no military advantage to any western power to do this.

      Also, from a political/strategic point of view, "prepare for war" for me means to have a minimum defence capability that makes it unlikely that you will be attacked, not having a massive military that can attack targets half-way around the world.

      In Orwell's world, Ministry of Plenty was responsible for scarcity, Ministry of Truth for telling lies, Ministry of Peace for war and Minitry of Love for torture. We're not there yet, but calling your army 'Defense' when it's purpose is clearly 'Offense' is already part-way there

  4. John Smith 19 Gold badge
    Joke

    But the *most* important feature of this workbench

    Will it check for stupidly insecure passwords?

  5. HeyMickey
    Terminator

    Not sure if want

    If we close all the security holes in the drones, how will us meatbags hope to survive/fight back when Skynet takes over?

    Terminator icon obviously...

  6. crayon

    "if you want peace, you must prepare for war"

    Unfortunately the US has subverted this to "if you want peace, you must wage a global and continuous war"

    "Cheap drone warfare will be an advantage for the underdog (guerillas / terrorsists). There's no military advantage to any western power to do this."

    Tell that to Obama, he can kill whomever he wants (if he can find them) and not risk US military personnel returning home in body bags.

    Put simply, with drone warfare, the people who have grown up playing video games can continue doing so while "serving" their country expect that the people they're killing halfway around the world are real, with families, loved ones, hopes and aspirations, just like most people across the world.

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