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[Vilix]

Is there an event that wouldn't be covered by a Simpsons gif?

 

[Sharkeisha]

so what's the big deal? and how true is this story anyway?

 

[sinxtanx]

so what's the big deal? and how true is this story anyway?

Like how you'd like your password to be hard to guess, the population of earth would like NUCLEAR LAUNCH CODES to also be hard to guess

 

[linkboy]

As someone who is currently stationed at a nuclear Air Force base and worked out in the missile field, I'm not surprised.

 

[Mascot]

As someone who is currently stationed at a nuclear Air Force base and worked out in the missile field, I'm not surprised.

Ooh - do tell more. Scare us to death!

Actually, scratch that. Don't. I'd rather not know.

 

[Guy.brush]

Related:
http://lewis.armscontrolwonk.com/archive/3066/biscuits-cookies-and-nuclear-bombs
http://lewis.armscontrolwonk.com/archive/2088/blair-on-the-ever-ready-misileer
Pretty alarming revelations from insiders and even a Minuteman silo officer.
So basically:

1. Presidential launch code is NOT needed for launch authentification. First strike or retaliatory strikes can be authenticated by the military chain of command without the president. The nuclear football being the allmighty authentification device is just a Hollywood myth.
2. Submarine crews found out that simple electric circuit manipulation on the launch key control panels would give them launch authentification with 1 KEY only!
3. Minuteman silo crews can send launch "authentification" to the whole squadron without any additional outside authentification step necessary.

 

[richiek]

 

[Mudcrab]

Like how you'd like your password to be hard to guess, the population of earth would like NUCLEAR LAUNCH CODES to also be hard to guess

The population of Earth is pretty silly if it thinks all it needs to launch the US nuclear arsenal is to enter a password.

 

[Madness]

The amount of obstacles you needed to go through to launch a nuclear missile makes this "simple" code pretty much irrelevant.

Yeah, it's not like you just walk in, pressed the code and left. Most launch facilities were underground and HEAVILY fortified. And even then, there would be a number of officers and servicemen present. And there is also deactivation codes and timing delays as well. Makes for interesting science fiction and a story though. Imagine if some James Bond type spy actually could get through it all and could guess the code.

 

[Nosferatu]

You youngins must not do much reading these days lol. This is pretty common knowledge about the military setting their nuclear launch codes to 000000 etc..

 

[The Living Tribunal]

 

[Mascot]

Yeah, it's not like you just walk in, pressed the code and left. Most launch facilities were underground and HEAVILY fortified. And even then, there would be a number of officers and servicemen present. And there is also deactivation codes and timing delays as well. Makes for interesting science fiction and a story though. Imagine if some James Bond type spy actually could get through it all and could guess the code.

But a rogue agent wouldnt need to bypass all that - he'd be right there, finger on the zero key, about to Track 'n' Field us all into oblivion.

 

[liquidtmd]

They ask me to change my password every 60days for low level IT access in a bank and they get away with this shit!

 

[FO-totality]

Stand back son... one one one....uhhh....one!

 

[Prinz Eugn]

British nuclear security is/was even worse.

 

[Fusebox]

I thought this was common knowledge.

Lol, have you ever seen Jay Walking with Jay Leno? You're giving people faaaaaaaar too much credit if you genuinely think the nuclear launch codes at Minutemen silos is common knowledge.

 

[Alric]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6iW-8xPw3k

I just knew it had to be spaceballs before I clicked it.

 

[Clydefrog]

ctrl+f "luggage"

love you, gaf!

 

[Hermii]

Its a miracle nuclear holocoast hasnt happened yet.