Washington, 2 mar ( EFE).-the Space Agency American, NASA, said today that despite the theft of a laptop containing the codes of control of the International space station ( ISS), the operations of the orbital position are not in danger.
The inspector general of NASA, Paul Martin, reported this week in an appearance before Congress of the disappearance between 2009 and 2011 for a minimum of 48 portable devices – mobile phones or computers – containing sensitive information.
In particular, in 2011 disappeared a computer that lacked access encrypted and whose theft resulted in “the loss of algorithms used for command and control of the international space station”, explained Martin.
But in a release distributed today, NASA, Lauren Worley, spokesman stated that the Agency “takes very seriously the issue of security of its information technology, and in no time the ISS operations have been threatened by an intrusion on data”.
“La NASA has made significant progress in the protection of systems of information technology of the Agency and is in the process of implementing the recommendations made by the Inspector General in this area,” he added.
Some of the theft suffered in this period resulted in the loss of personally identifiable information and sensitive information that includes “intellectual property of third parties, subject to export control”.
Also, the missing computer contained Social Security numbers and data on NASA’s Orion and Constellation programs, said Martin.
The actual number of stolen artifacts may be higher because the Agency depends on its employees to report disappearances.
During 2011, according to Martin, NASA was the target of at least 47 advanced persistent threats in their computer systems. In 13 of these cases, the pirates managed to enter the Agency computers.
These attacks are among the 5,408 incidents in 2010 and 2011 cyber security-related and resulting in unauthorized interference or install programs destructive agency systems. These attacks cost NASA about seven million $.
Incidents include both intrusions of individuals who only seek to test their ability to flout the agency security codes such as criminal activities in search of money and presentations sponsored by foreign intelligence services.
In one of the cases, pirates associated with addresses of internet in China had access to computer systems and sensitive accounts in the NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and “had complete control of such networks”.
Among other things, that level of access could have allowed the intruders to modify, copy or delete sensitive files. EFE
