Computer virus infects ISS space station

As far as space monsters go it is less menacing than Daleks or Klingons, but an unwanted intruder has made its way aboard the international space station.

Gammima.AG, a malicious password-swiping computer virus, has broken new frontiers, by infecting two laptops on the ISS orbiting 215 miles above Earth. The virus was first detected on Earth in August 2007 infecting machines to steal login names for popular online games.

Nasa officials have begun an investigation into how the virus made it aboard the ISS, but it is thought it might have been inadvertently carried into space on an astronaut's USB drive.



Reports suggested that once on board the station, the memory device was plugged into the computers, infecting them both.

Computers on the ISS are not directly connected to the internet but they have access to a satellite data link. They are not part of the space station's "command and control" network, Nasa said.

Nasa, who described the virus as a "nuisance" is now working with its international partners on the space station, including Russians, to find out how it got on board. Nasa spokesman Kelly Humphries said: "It's not a frequent occurrence, but this isn't the first time."