Threat Intelligence, Incident Response, TDR

U.S. Air Force developing airborne hacking platform

The U.S. Air Force (USAF) is looking to expand its traditional electronic countermeasures capability to include the ability to carve into an enemy's computer network from the air.

USAF Maj. Gen. Burke Wilson, announced this new electronic weapon at a recent Air Force Association conference, according to Breaking Defense. The Air Force used a modified EC-130 aircraft, originally designed to jam enemy transmissions, to instead be able to target and access enemy networks.

The four-engine plane has already been used in a series of tests to prove the technology and Wilson told the Air Force Association that it was able to crack a closed network. For security purposes most military networks are not connected the internet making them hard to access unless a person can directly connect in.

The USAF did not return a request for further comment on this technology.

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