DNA Hacking: Taking Control of Computers

Now malware can be encoded into a gene and used to take over a computer program.

In 2017, the first successful hack of a software program was done using DNA. Researchers say malware they incorporated into a genetic molecule allowed them to take control of a computer used to analyze it. The biological malware was created by scientists at the University of Washington in Seattle, who call it the first “DNA-based exploit of a computer system.”  

To carry out the hack, researchers encoded malicious software in a short stretch of DNA they purchased online. They then used it to gain “full control” over a computer that tried to process the genetic data after it was read by a DNA sequencing machine.  

The researchers warn that hackers could one day use faked blood or spit samples to gain access to university computers, steal information from police forensics labs, or infect genome files shared by scientists.

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Researchers successfully hacked into a computer using DNA as malware in 2017.

A simple computer command was translated into DNA letters to corrupt gene sequencing software and take over the computer.

While currently not applicable, the use of DNA for computer hacking could pose a realistic threat in the future.

Experiments have shown the potential for data transfer using DNA.

Researchers successfully hacked into a computer using DNA strands, encoding malware that can corrupt gene sequencing software and take over the computer. Online purchase of the DNA raises concerns.

Researchers hacked into a computer using DNA strands, encoding malware to take over the computer. DNA purchase raises concerns.

DNA Hacking: Taking Control of Computers

Researchers hacked into a computer using DNA strands, encoding malware to take over the computer. DNA purchase raises concerns.

00:00:00 Researchers successfully hacked into a computer using DNA strands, encoding malware that can corrupt gene sequencing software and take over the computer. Online purchase of the DNA raises concerns.

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