WikiLeaks: Boeing Might be Planning to Hack Computers Via DroneIts bad enough that drones are being used around the planet to conduct aerial surveillance and bomb select countries from remote locations. Now some of their other intended uses are being revealed. Previously, two hackers (they were actually intelligence agency security consultants) demoed a 14-pound drone under the label Project Vespid that showed the ability for anyone to build their own drone, invade any wireless network, Bluetooth, or GSM, and wiretap, steal data, corrupt the network, or even shut it down completely. This was supposed to be a warning ofsomething new that the bad guys can get us with. Enter mega defense contractor Boeing supposedly one of the good guys who appear to have been exploring the exact same thing. The corporate Washington Post offers up the details and even a few surprising admissions regarding the relationship between Boeing and surveillance tech company Hacking Team, but again spins it to imply that this is intended only to get those terrorists. My emphasis added. According to an e-mail that summarizes the contents of a meeting between the two companies, Boeing was searching for a ruggedized network injector transportable by drone (!). Drone and network analysts offer a scenario about how this type of technology could work: A highly desired al-Qaeda operative is on the lam, hiding out in a bungalow in the foothills of some not-so-allied country, which may or may not be protecting him from U.S. detection. The American military could try hacking into that governments computer network to look for intelligence, but reaching across the globe through a keyboard is pretty hard and time-consuming. Or, the military could put an unmanned drone in the air equipped with malware to fly over the highly desired operatives bungalow and conduct some surveillance. Yes, it is has been proven to be quite tedious for the U.S. to hack governments friendly or not as mere keyboard warriors. But, no worries, that grunt work can be transferred to unmanned drones. You want to be able to place yourself in the middle of traffic to surveil it or gain access to it, said independent network researcher Collin Anderson. What this gives you is the ability to be in the same room as all the other machines youre tying to look out for. Regarding Boeings connection to the maligned Hacking Team, a spokesman said Boeing and Hacking Team have no business relationship at all.' Boeing claims that they simply need to know what technology is out there, so that they can create or respond to new capabilities. Interesting, too, is the admission that this is not as high tech as it sounds, further supporting the DIY meme shown by the 2011 demo that strengthens the militarys justification for taking action: WP ends their article with a cheeky throw-away line that, And now, perhaps, they might also be able to help hack into your computer. The truth is that we already have a government which has been repeatedly exposed for working with domestic tech companies to spy on their own citizens in every manner possible. We also have a Congress that has welcomed drones into American skies. Add the final component of fear over hactivists and cyber threats of all stripes and it begins to sound like the bad guys are everywhere. Mission accomplished. Nicholas West writes for selfnews Post and TechSwarm 