Nato creates computer virus that reveals its secrets

[InfoSec News <isn () C4I ORG>]

http://www.the-times.co.uk/news/pages/sti/2000/06/18/stinwenws01024.html

June 18th 2000

BUNGLING Nato scientists have created a computer virus "by mistake",
causing military secrets to find their way onto the internet.

The virus, called Anti-Smyser 1, was created by scientists at Nato's
Kfor peacekeeping force headquarters in Pristina, Kosovo.

They were seeking protection from virus attacks similar to those
launched at Nato by the Serbs during the Kosovo conflict. But the
experiment went wrong, and scientists accidentally unleashed the virus
on themselves.

Last week it emerged that the virus, which plucks documents from the
hard drives of computers and sends invisible attachments to e-mails,
recently resurfaced at the Czech ministry of defence.

"Following an investigation into the leaks, I can now tell you that
this was started at Kfor by our own people and subsequently spread to
Nato headquarters and to other Nato members." said Jamie Shea, a Nato
spokesman.

According to Shea, Nato first became aware of the virus in December.
It is now believed to be responsible for the leak in April of a
restricted nine-page document detailing the rules of engagement for
Nato soldiers serving in Kosovo, which appeared mysteriously on the
computer screens of a London publishing company.

The document, dated December 23, 1999, set out circumstances in which
"deadly force" could be used, instructed Nato troops to hand over war
criminals within 48 hours to the International Criminal Tribunal for
the former Yugoslavia and covered riot control, media transmissions
and authorisations for everything from attack helicopters to tanks.

An e-mail with the document attached, seen by The Sunday Times, came
with the following message: "Hello, I am Anti-Smyser 1. This virus is
an alteration of a virus which was designed to delete all files from
one's c:drive on December 13."

At the time of the leak becoming public, Shea was quoted as saying:
"These are sensitive Nato documents," but last week he was keen to
play down the importance of the leak.

An investigation was ordered by Nato chiefs still smarting from
American allegations that a spy at Nato headquarters had leaked
details of bombing plans to the Serbs during the Kosovo conflict. The
claim was dismissed by Lord Robertson, the Nato secretary-general.

ISN is sponsored by SecurityFocus.com
---
To unsubscribe email LISTSERV () SecurityFocus com with a message body of
"SIGNOFF ISN".