Stuxnet: Target Bushehr?

[Dayuhan]

Interesting NYT article claiming that the Stuxnet worm was aimed specifically at Iranian centrifuges...

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/16/wo...ewanted=1&_r=1

Behind Dimona’s barbed wire, the experts say, Israel has spun nuclear centrifuges virtually identical to Iran’s at Natanz, where Iranian scientists are struggling to enrich uranium. They say Dimona tested the effectiveness of the Stuxnet computer worm, a destructive program that appears to have wiped out roughly a fifth of Iran’s nuclear centrifuges and helped delay, though not destroy, Tehran’s ability to make its first nuclear arms.

To check out the worm, you have to know the machines,” said an American expert on nuclear intelligence. “The reason the worm has been effective is that the Israelis tried it out.

Though American and Israeli officials refuse to talk publicly about what goes on at Dimona, the operations there, as well as related efforts in the United States, are among the newest and strongest clues suggesting that the virus was designed as an American-Israeli project to sabotage the Iranian program."

Our concern with such attacks has typically been that they would be used against the US: like other swords, this one apparently has two edges.

[anonamatic]

Our concern with such attacks has typically been that they would be used against the US: like other swords, this one apparently has two edges.

Where do you see any evidence of that? Also, if this was some US/Israeli effort, it was damned sloppy in that it was so easily traced. Leaving clues in code it amateur at best, and this thing has been seriously picked apart. Neither of which say good things, although the results are very much worthy of applause. Personally I don't care who did this, I'm just glad they did. We need more like that.

[Erich G. Simmers]

Mikko Hyppönen, Chief Research Officer at F-Secure, offers a good summary of why Stuxnet is unique in terms of malware design and execution: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFzadFI7sco.

[AdamG]

The Stuxnet software worm repeatedly sought to infect five industrial facilities in Iran over a 10-month period, a new report says, in what could be a clue into how it might have infected the Iranian uranium enrichment complex at Natanz.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/13/sc..._r=2&src=twrhp

[Erich G. Simmers]

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/13/sc..._r=2&src=twrhp

The actual report can be found here: http://www.symantec.com/connect/ko/b...sier-available.

It is worth the read. Missing from the news story was that several vendors contributed samples and data on the worm including ESET, F-Secure, Kaspersky Labs, Microsoft, McAfee, and Trend.

[davidbfpo]

An IISS Strategic Comment, which provides a good IMHO overview, starts:

..it is essentially a delaying tactic and has not dimmed the country’s resolve to develop nuclear capabilities..

and ends with:

Cyber sabotage is likely only to buy time for the international community to devise alternative policy responses to Iran’s nuclear programme. In the meantime, sanctions and negotiations are likely to remain their priority.

Link:http://www.iiss.org/publications/str...ear-programme/

[Cannoneer No. 4]

http://www.rockto.com/launcher/33781...ed-code-online

The Anonymous group released the Stuxnet code on 13 February, after finding it in a database of e-mails it stole from HBGary. “First public Stuxnet decompile is to be found here,” one representative of the group wrote over Twitter.