A hacker known as 7h3h4ckv157 has once again drawn attention after discovering new vulnerabilities in NASA’s systems. This is the second time he has managed to detect security flaws in the space agency, following an initial report in 2022, where he used the Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) technique to exploit weaknesses in their website. Despite NASA’s well-known security, the hacker has shown that their systems are susceptible to attacks similar to those that can affect other organizations.
The second time is the charm
XSS refers to a type of attack that allows hackers to inject malicious code into users’ browsers, which can result in the theft of sensitive information, such as passwords. This attack occurs when the page does not properly handle the data entered by users. In his first foray, the hacker received neither recognition nor reward for his finding, which generated some discontent in the ethical hacking community.
Nevertheless, on this occasion, NASA has decided to acknowledge its work by sending a letter of thanks signed by Mike Witt, the agency’s information security officer. This action highlights the importance of recognition within the field of cybersecurity and reinforces the value of security research conducted by external individuals.
Despite the fact that the hacker has not revealed details about the newly identified vulnerability, this situation underscores the need for constant security reviews in critical systems such as those of NASA. The agency has chosen not to provide specific information about the type of vulnerability, indicating that it must ensure the flaw is completely resolved before making a public disclosure. Rumors suggest that it may offer more information on its blog in the future.