Virus hits US Predator drones on hunt missions in Pak, Afghan

America's remote controlled kill machines, the Predator and Reaper drones which fly hunt missions over Pakistan, Afghanistan and Yemen, have been hit by a computer virus and network specialist can't seem to get rid of it. The virus has infected Creech Air Force base in Nevada from where the robotic machines fly globally, Los Angeles Times reported.

But, media report said so far the virus hasn't hindered global missions of the drones and there's been no leak of classified information. The infection, first reported by Wired magazine two weeks back is allegedly logging pilots' every keystroke as they carry out the missions.

The virus has remained on the drones' computer system despite multiple efforts to remove it. "We keep wiping it off, and it keeps coming back... We think it's benign," Wired magazine reported.

"Military network security specialists aren't sure whether the virus and its so-called 'keylogger' payload were introduced intentionally or by accident; it may be a common piece of malware that just happened to make its way into these sensitive networks," the magazine said.

The specialists don't know exactly how far the virus has spread. Something is going on, but it has not had any impact on the missions overseas.  The Creech Air Force Base public affairs office responded to inquiries about the reports with a statement:

"We generally do not discuss specific vulnerabilities, threats, or responses to our computer networks, since that helps people looking to exploit or attack our systems to refine their approach. We invest a lot in protecting an

monitoring our systems to counter threats and ensure security, which includes a comprehensive response to viruses, worms, and other malware we discover."

The magazine said the drones don't exactly have the most rigorous security protocols and cites the example in 2009 when insurgents in Iraq were able to capture unencrypted video footage from the drones using a piece of cheap software.

Drones are widely used in US military operations, especially as ground troops are withdrawn. Last week, a drone strike killed American-born jihadi Anwar al-Awlaki in Yemen, along with two other militants.