Turns out a lilliputian Raspberry Pi was at the rootage of a self-aggrandizing worry for NASA . Anauditreleased by the NASA Office of Inspector General on June 18 reveals that an former 2018 cyberattack utilizing one of these miniskirt - computers result in a cyberpunk make off with qualified text file .

If you ’re not familiar withRaspberry Pi , it ’s a modest calculator about the same size of it and chassis as a citation card . Since it cost about $ 35 , it ’s a popular tool for learning the bedrock of calculator programming , robotics , and creating DIY task . ( You may have see one featured in an episode ofMr . Robot . ) As you might guess , its belittled size of it and flexile use intend people do n’t always employ it for beneficial .

https://gizmodo.com/12-useful-and-cool-gadgets-you-can-make-yourself-1826319823

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Which brings us to NASA : The “ unauthorized ” Raspberry Pi created a portal through which the aggressor purloin Indian file from theJet Propulsion Laboratory ( JPL ) , which address machinelike space and Earth skill commission , include the Mars Curiosity roamer , according to the delegacy ’s OIG . This particular breach was happen upon in April 2018 , when JPL found an external user ’s report was compromised . The cyberpunk , using an unauthorized Raspberry Pi connected to the system , was able to expand their access once they log into the connection .

Two of the 23 steal file — about 500 MB in total — require restricted data relating to the International Traffic in Arms Regulation and Mars Science Laboratory mission . to boot , the hacker get at two out of three primary JPL networks , leading NASA to irregular disconnect several quad - flight - related systems from the JPL net . Perhaps most dreaded is that the cab went undetected for 10 calendar month .

Also disturbing : JPL did n’t have a complete or exact inventory of system component on its electronic internet , according to the OIG report . Neither did it have security measures controls to systematically monitor and detect cyberattacks on its internet — so administrators had no idea the Raspberry Pi was there because it was n’t lumber the right way . As a event , it was n’t right monitored , and taking command over an unsupervised , much ‘ non - existent ’ Raspberry Pi is ostensibly a fairly easy task for a hacker . According to theBBC , the audit found several other “ unknown ” devices on the JPL web , though none were believed malicious .

Argentina’s President Javier Milei (left) and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., holding a chainsaw in a photo posted to Kennedy’s X account on May 27. 2025.

So far no culprit has been caught or place , though NASA ’s OIG report say the investigation is ongoing . In the meantime , JPL has instal more monitoring agents on its firewall and says it ’s review web access concord for external partners . Gizmodo reached out to NASA for gossip and how the agency plans to ameliorate its lax security move forward but did not like a shot find a response .

CybersecurityHackingNASARaspberry PiSecurity

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