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Researchers Find Air-Gapped Nuclear Subs Still Vulnerable

By Marcos Colon

A new study by security researchers sheds light on the growing potential for hacks on the UK’s operational fleet of Vanguard-class submarines.

The findings in the new report titled “Hacking UK Trident: A Growing Threat,” indicate that a successful attack against the fleet could “neutralize operations, lead to loss of life” or even result in the “catastrophic exchange of nuclear warheads.”

Although the submarine network architecture is “physically isolated” from the internet or any other networks, there is still the potential for an attack from inside the submarine, or if malware is injected into any of the weapons carried on the vessel during the “manufacturing, construction and maintenance stages” of the submarine.

State hacking campaigns pose the greatest threats since they’re equipped with the intelligence and resources to conduct this type of assault, according to a report by SC Media which hosts the report

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