DIGIT-ARC read-only archive · snapshot: July 23, 2026

French fighter planes grounded by computer virus

18 posts · originally from https://geek.digit.in/community/threads/french-fighter-planes-grounded-by-computer-virus.108529/

icekid
icekid Original post #1
Feb 12, 2009 at 11:39 AM
*www.defenceaviation.com/2009/02/french-fighter-planes-grounded-by.html

The aircraft were unable to download their flight plans after databases were infected by a Microsoft virus they had already been warned about several months beforehand.

At one point French naval staff were also instructed not to even open their computers.

Microsoft had warned that the "Conficker" virus, transmitted through Windows, was attacking computer systems in October last year, but according to reports the French military ignored the warning and failed to install the necessary security measures.

I still don't get it!! Even the world's defence forces depend on Microsoft.. Why don't they just move to linux...

P.S: The virus spread through personal laptops so they couldn't upload the mission data. I have no idea what French Airforce main computers run on though...
Faun
Faun #2
Feb 12, 2009 at 12:12 PM
Probably they were thinking it as a child's play
kin.vachhani
Feb 13, 2009 at 2:38 PM
imagine the figher plan in a dog fight and at the time of pressing fire...the screen shows "u dont have administration privilege..Please login as administrator"...lol
gxsaurav
Feb 13, 2009 at 2:43 PM
*www.defenceaviation.com/2009/02/french-fighter-planes-grounded-by.htmlI still don't get it!! Even the world's defence forces depend on Microsoft.. Why don't they just move to linux...

P.S: The virus spread through personal laptops so they couldn't upload the mission data. I have no idea what French Airforce main computers run on though...

Is it the fault of Microsoft that even after warning them long time back & giving them an update patch long back, French Aviation didn't apply it?

Blame everything on MS....yeah, right
H
Feb 13, 2009 at 4:56 PM
ppl just dont leave a chance to bash MS even though they'll use MS products with glee day in & day out.
V
vaithy #6
Feb 14, 2009 at 11:48 AM
Thanks for admitting that it is the MS users who are bashing MS !! Perhaps their personal experience with MS is speaking loud!! I have seen a hardware guy who bash Linux even with out seeing the single boot screen..Because that is what they teach them in their class room...
Liverpool_fan
Feb 14, 2009 at 2:51 PM
This is carelessness and plain stupidity IMO.
They should have patched Windows surely...No?
MetalheadGautham
Feb 14, 2009 at 6:02 PM
Dumb French Airforce. The only thing the french do right is kiss :lol:
A
Feb 14, 2009 at 6:57 PM
^^^good one..
Faun
Faun #11
Feb 14, 2009 at 7:08 PM
^^French never won a war apart from their intra French revolution :D
Ecstasy
Ecstasy #13
Feb 14, 2009 at 8:00 PM
Beware France- Nazi has reborn and its attacking in a different style now. =p
Abhishek Dwivedi
Feb 14, 2009 at 8:05 PM
imagine the figher plan in a dog fight and at the time of pressing fire...the screen shows "u dont have administration privilege..Please login as administrator"...lol
:)) lolz man
CadCrazy
CadCrazy #15
Feb 14, 2009 at 9:51 PM
Few days back this conficker even attacked our company servers and chocked the whole network.

And yeah Linux FTW
Windows = Wiruses and Worms :D
Faun
Faun #16
Feb 14, 2009 at 9:53 PM
^^Walruses
*latimesblogs.latimes.com/photos/uncategorized/2008/05/30/pacific_walrus_chill_in_alaska_with.jpg

Bhala in daaton ka kya use ?
cyber
cyber #17
Feb 15, 2009 at 10:32 AM
imagine the figher plan in a dog fight and at the time of pressing fire...the screen shows "u dont have administration privilege..Please login as administrator"...lol
lol:p:D
icekid
icekid #18
Mar 6, 2009 at 9:09 PM
I just got the magazine.. And I couldn't believe my post on this forum was published. But you guys should used a different photo. If you have asked me I would have suggested different Dasualt Raffale (the french fighter) photos.