Britain's Nuclear Powered Submarines Running Windows XP

Don't worry it's just a nuclear sub. Apparently our governments are not up on their network security. Not important don't worry! Think of it like how Target handles their security infrastructure... it's cheaper to allow hackers to compromise the integrity of your network and pay the legal fees associated with it than it is for you to hire and implement proper security control mechanisms!

WOOP WOOP!

Super Top Secret Hacker Website (You can't read this)

Britain’s hospitals have been brought to a standstill because of ransomware infecting obsolete and unpatched Windows XP systems. The same obsolete operating system is powering Britain’s nuclear weapons arsenal. Is it prudent to ask if the British nuclear weapons submarines have been patched against this ransomware, or even hit by it?

From a key intel source I have way up in help desk support I know that a lot of the hospitals in the US run XP still on closed networks. No biggy though the network is closed right?

Anyway... food for thought Brit's!

a reply to: toysforadults

XP was a good OS , as long as the Navy are paying for the updates I don't see the problem.

a reply to: gortex

Paying for updates???

I sure hope they do not get Windows Ten. Cortana will take over the ship and launch missiles when someone disagrees with her.

a reply to: toysforadults

M$ still provides XP security fixes for paying customers.

a reply to: gortex

What I don't understand is why isn't the government developing it's own UNIX/Linux distro's to power the operating systems on their subs kind of like how the US Navy developed Nalcomis?

a reply to: toysforadults

Probably because it would cost too much money and defence budgets here have been tightened , best stick with the known.

a reply to: toysforadults

Think the american ICBM launch silos/facilities still utilise these things.



So we should not be that perturbed.

a reply to: andy06shake

Actually legacy tech can be more effective as a security measure.

a reply to: toysforadults

It's not actually Windows XP. It's software based on Windows XP. It still gets updates. It also doesn't connect to the internet, like home PCs.

Same as your other Brit hating thread, a simple google search would have found that info out.

a reply to: toysforadults

This is news from a month ago and the MOD have already confirmed that the subs are secure.

You can't just hack a sub and get the launch codes from Windows XP. Seriously.

a reply to: Wide-Eyes

His link actually uses a source from over a year ago.

Popular Mechanics link from Jan 2016

a reply to: Wide-Eyes

I just find it funny to see such a masterful piece of equipment running XP machines on it.

It is funny to see.

originally posted by: IgnoranceIsntBlisss

a reply to: toysforadults

But that would mean, legacy tech or not, that any large magnet or magnetic force exerted on these things, if memory serves, would render the information(codes and coordinates) contained within corrupt and useless.

Not something you want to be discovering whilst trying to respond to or initiate WW3.