What if the next ransomware attack on U.S. soil involves a nuclear weapon?  What measures are being taken to ensure that this terrifying hypothetical never becomes a reality?The weapons in the U.S. nuclear stockpile undergo frequent flight testing as a component of the National Nuclear Security Administration’s Stockpile Stewardship Program to ensure their safety, security, and reliability. However, weapon designs are changing, incorporating more digital components and communications. Legacy weapons used analog signaling and mechanical switching for most operations.  Digitally upgraded weapons rely on software, and standard software-testing practices are inadequate protection against failures when the code underpins life-or-death mechanisms.  Software … Continue reading When Software Bugs Go Nuclear: Testing a Digital Arsenal