Would it be possible for a hacker to control a nuke?

[Stylesjl]

Is it possible that somebody could control nuclear missiles or other sensetive military weapons from a regular World Wide Web connection? Or are the wires or transmitters physically cut off from the civillian network?

In other words is it possible for a civillian with the correct software to gain control of part of the military infrastructure?

I'm assuming this is the United States we are talking about

 

[Chieftess]

I doubt Nuclear Silos are even connected to the Internet. If so, it would be a completely seperate network - i.e., no connection to an Internet router. (i.e., it wouldn't really be smart to connect a LAN with sensitive information on the same network that the Internet is on. You'd have a group of private network servers in one room, then another room where your "public servers" are, and they don't "talk" to each other.

 

[Stylesrj]

I don't think it would be possible. The US Government is not stupid enough to put their weapons of mass destruction on a public network. Nuclear weapons are not one thing that would be available to the public. I think probably the only way a hacker could control a nuke via computer is if they're right in the control room or near it, like at the LAN servers. What Chieftess said.

However, don't let that stop a good bad Hollywood movie.

Yup, nuclear weapons will not fall into the wrong hands that easily. Unless you're the President...

 

[Sidhe]

No 10 chars.

 

[warpus]

I don't think it would be possible. The US Government is not stupid enough to put their weapons of mass destruction on a public network.

You would hope so!

However, my faith in government officials (of any country) is almost nonexistant.. I try not to think about all the stupid things they could have done.. such as this.

 

[Mercenary82]

Impossible, there are too many failsafes to prevent this.

 

[Shadylookin]

No, but don't tell that to the people that like the movie Wargames.

 

[PrincepsAmerica]

As everyone said. There's no physical way they could as far as I know.

 

[Babbler]

I doubt you can hack into any nuclear power's nuclear weapons systems.

In order for any American weapons to be launched, you need access codes which only the president has access to (the nuclear "football").

 

[History_Buff]

The only secure computer is the computer buried in 10 tons of concrete. Thus, the only secure computer is the computer inside a nuclear silo.

QED

In all likelihood, they're only networked on a US military net, and even then it wouldn't be the fire control computers, just the notification systems. You wouldn't want a computer to glitch out, and have it try to fire the missile, which why there are like 8 things you have to do before you can launch one.

 

[Fifty]

Yes, it is possible and has taken place before (in 1983 though, when security wasn't as good). See the documentary WarGames starring Matthew Broderick. It was actually a teenager who did it. Of course, the government doesn't talk about it much because it's so embarrasing, but the truth is that this was the worst even since the Cuban Missle Crisis.

 

[Cheezy the Wiz]

The guidance system on a nuclear missle (or any missle for that matter) is in the weapon itself, they're not "guiding" it from inside a mountain in Colorado, they have no connection to the weapon, not even the fabled "selfdestruct," that's why missles are called "fire and forget weapons."

 

[theimmortal1]

It would be possible if it was connected to some sort of hackable network. I'm sure certain nations have the proper protections in place. But NK or say Iran wouldn't.

 

[Mr. Dictator]

It would be possible if it was connected to some sort of hackable network. I'm sure certain nations have the proper protections in place. But NK or say Iran wouldn't.

yeah, cause they dont have computers in NK or Iran

 

[Mise]

I once WiFi'd my DS to a nuclear missile silo in Berkshire. True story.

 

[Fugitive Sisyphus]

No. And you couldn't hack into an alien spaceship with a Mac either.

 

[Nylan]

No, but don't tell that to the people that like the movie Wargames.

You couldn't hack a nuke because all the government would have to do is tell the onboard computer to play tic-tac-toe

 

[GenMarshall]

Nope, the system is isolated from the rest of the Internet.

 

[Lotus49]

No, only the operators on the site can actually activate the launch sequence.

And even they cannot successfully initiate the launch sequence, by themselves.

This stuff was all thought of a long time (decades) ago, before the public had any concept of what the 'internet' was.

You don't just come up with a world-ending weapon system, without rigorously going through the "how do we prevent this system from firing erroneously, at all costs".

My dad worked on the Minuteman ICBM, back in the mid-70s (network systems analyst, inside missile silo) when he was in the USAF. I love to hear him babble about it. I can share stories, if you like... for example how you could reach up under the rocket's exhaust nozzles, and grab a piece of the solid rocket fuel (compound still highly classified, to this day) - they had fun with some of it. Just a piece the size of a marble was enough for the 4th of July in your backyard.

Anyway, I can't get technical like he does, but rest assured, no 'hacker' is going to take control of nuclear weapons via the internet. That's all movie/fantasy land.

 

[Kozmos]

First and foremost you need launch codes, without them you cant do jack sheet. Second you need the Nuclear Football. Third you need verification(probably biometrics and some kind of physical item)from the POTUS.

Former President Jimmy Carter once left nuclear launch codes in his suit when it was sent in for dry cleaning.