The BSOD may be literal for some British sailors

[GreyGeek]

While MOST governments and military are moving away from Windows and toward Linux to reduce the chances that their secrets may be stolen, some are not:

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/12...rines_rollout/

So we aren't really looking at Windows boxes triggering nuclear armageddon if something goes wrong here. But we just might, if things go wrong, be looking at a computer snag causing another USS Vincennes airliner shootdown disaster in coming years. Or, of course, at British sailors of the future staring helplessly at what would shortly be literally a blue screen of death, as the shipkillers bored in without response.

It is also interesting to note that when the news is good to Windows it is always mentioned, but when the news is bad Windows is never mentioned. Ever wonder why that is?

[askrieger]

Re: The BSOD may be literal for some British sailors

Yegads! The implications! If this trend continues, some teenage hacker is going to start Global Thermonuclear War, when all he really wants to do is impress his friends!

[oshunluvr]

Re: The BSOD may be literal for some British sailors

How about a nice game of chess?

[Ole Juul]

Re: The BSOD may be literal for some British sailors

Yegads! The implications! If this trend continues, some teenage hacker is going to start Global Thermonuclear War, when all he really wants to do is impress his friends!

You'd think that would do it. Perhaps the teenagers in your neck of the woods are hard to impress.

[Yuri sss]

Re: The BSOD may be literal for some British sailors

Windows on nuclear warships? Are they f*cking retarded!?

Sounds like the poor saps will have a good reason now to go on binge drinking sprees...
Come on, let's all sing:
What shall we do with a drunken sailor?

[garethd]

Re: The BSOD may be literal for some British sailors

Its not as if the MoD are unfamiliar with overly expensive refits:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2008/ju...litary.defence

[sithlord48]

Re: The BSOD may be literal for some British sailors

about how long after the sub goes on line, will it be infected ? According to an article i read avg time is way under 30min. going by that with in 1/2 an hour of being active their could be a bot net with a nuclear powered sub.... this is very disturbing. its gonna be the most expensive bot in the group.

did anyone else catch the " this will save the tax payer $ part.." really? what about using some free software as a base and then doing what ever it is they do. that would have the save what ever the cost of windows XP Embeded Sub. (can't be cheep either its custom windows)

[GreyGeek]

Re: The BSOD may be literal for some British sailors

I doubt that their computers would be on the Internet where they could be easily infected, but just like the US Military's offline network, someone could stick a USB stick into one of the sub's computers and spread a Trojan through its entire network.

[Snowhog]

Re: The BSOD may be literal for some British sailors

...but just like the US Military's offline network, someone could stick a USB stick into one of the sub's computers and spread a Trojan through its entire network.

I doubt it's classified; in fact I'm sure it's common knowledge; the use of USB sticks and any USB connected devices, has been 'denied' within the OS builds for a year on more now. Military computers are not able to see/read connected USB devices. This was the direct result of viri being introduced via infected USB connected devices some time ago.

[GreyGeek]

Re: The BSOD may be literal for some British sailors

2008 to be exact. That's probably how the Taliban acquired US military tactics, plans, layouts, etc in Afghanistan.