International space station also became the target of hackers - Photo: NASA

According to Reuters, the Commission sent statements of space technology and science (SSTC) U.S. House of Representatives on 1-3, NASA Chief Inspector Paul Martin said in 2011, hackers have made 47 attacks Us NASA network, successfully broke 13 times. "Thousands of NASA computers affected. The attacks disrupted a number of space missions and steal important information, "- Mr. Martin acknowledged.

From January to May 4-2011 4-2009, NASA lost 48 computers and mobile devices contain confidential information. However, the actual number may be much larger because the cases are due to NASA's own staff report. Including a personal computer containing ISS control code. It also contains personal information of NASA employees and sensitive information about NASA's aviation program.

Full control of

NASA will not assert any hackers can use to change the password of the ISS orbit by this system is extremely complex. "Some individuals want to test their abilities. But there are groups of organized crime to make money. And the foreign intelligence organizations to steal secrets "- Mr. Martin described the attacks.

NASA said most attacks come from China, Italy, Britain, Nigeria, Portugal, Romania, Turkey and Estonia. 11-2011 Last month, a group of hackers using network address in China hacked computer systems of the Chamber of jet propulsion laboratory (JPL), one of the most important laboratories of NASA. 23 JPL spacecraft operators carry out space missions, including missions to explore Mars, Saturn and Jupiter.

Mr. Martin said that hackers have cracked the system, allowing them to copy, modify and even delete sensitive data and system logs to hide incursion. They steal information access system 150 employees of NASA and can create new user account. More dangerous, they are able to penetrate into other systems of NASA. Hackers have complete control of these systems.

NASA is considering for serious security problems and will upgrade network security capabilities. However, Mr. Martin admitted: "Until NASA applied a comprehensive coding system information across agencies, the risk of sensitive information stolen from the computers and storage devices hold data hand will still be very high. "

Upgrading old and slow

Time newspaper, network security experts assess Jeffrey Kluger one main reason NASA become "prey" for hackers is that this agency has numerous centers and affiliated agencies, a model is built from the last century. When NASA was established, the government is not new construction which make use of available laboratory in California, Florida, Alabama or Maryland for NASA.

Although the initial cost savings, but it makes NASA sluggish throughout the decades to collect general data base. NASA has repeatedly been warned about the security risk. NASA Office of Inspector General in the past five years have made 21 inspections and provides a series of proposals. A 2009 inspection concluded the security of NASA leaders do not even know anything about network security vulnerabilities.

While the rate encrypt mobile devices in the U.S. government is 54%, then at NASA 2-2012 as of May at around 1%. Even NASA can not accurately determine the amount of information lost when the device is stolen. Because instead of checking the data backup system, NASA only based on staff reports.

Congressman Paul Broun, a member of SSTC, said many of the technologies developed by NASA is being applied in the field of defense. Without monitoring and supervision, NASA is in danger of becoming "backdoor" is unlocked by hackers. Meanwhile, the U.S. national security will be seriously threatened. NASA is spending $ 58 million per year of $ 1.5 billion information technology budget to ensure network security.