Stuxnet:world's first known cyber super weapon

[thathagat]

hmmm..........its an interesting read
A guided cyber missile

Cyber security experts say they have identified the world's first known cyber super weapon designed specifically to destroy a real-world target – a factory, a refinery, or just maybe a nuclear power plant.

The cyber worm, called Stuxnet, has been the object of intense study since its detection in June. As more has become known about it, alarm about its capabilities and purpose have grown. Some top cyber security experts now say Stuxnet's arrival heralds something blindingly new: a cyber weapon created to cross from the digital realm to the physical world – to destroy something.

At least one expert who has extensively studied the malicious software, or malware, suggests Stuxnet may have already attacked its target – and that it may have been Iran's Bushehr nuclear power plant, which much of the world condemns as a nuclear weapons threat.

The appearance of Stuxnet created a ripple of amazement among computer security experts. Too large, too encrypted, too complex to be immediately understood, it employed amazing new tricks, like taking control of a computer system without the user taking any action or clicking any button other than inserting an infected memory stick. Experts say it took a massive expenditure of time, money, and software engineering talent to identify and exploit such vulnerabilities in industrial control software systems.

Unlike most malware, Stuxnet is not intended to help someone make money or steal proprietary data. Industrial control systems experts now have concluded, after nearly four months spent reverse engineering Stuxnet, that the world faces a new breed of malware that could become a template for attackers wishing to launch digital strikes at physical targets worldwide. Internet link not required.

 

[Lebon14]

Cr**. Just Cr**. I just don't want to anything to happen. The world today is just too fragile. Something happen and we go right into war.

 

[saakeman]

Cr**. Just Cr**. I just don't want to anything to happen. The world today is just too fragile. Something happen and we go right into war.

We don't want to get into politics now
it isn't impossible , but how much would it cost you do, do such a thread
it will cost you more than it worth blowing something up

later
saakeman

 

[thathagat]

huh.........here read this eset analysis pdf.........
Stuxnet Under the Microscope

 

[Bootz]

The funniest part is the guy in the responces who says anyone with an ounce of skill could turn around and use it against the US or Isreal.

Considering its been made public for some time now, i would guess its served its main purpose and possibly newer or different versions already being worked on if not in use.

If it really was the work of the US and Isreali governments, i find it hard to believe a single company like eset or any anti-virus company could possibly know all the in's and out's of the virus and its potential.

 

[Corrine]

Here's another point of view by Mary Landesman: Debunking the Bunk of Stuxnet

 

[Borg 386]

Another interesting article with some interesting quotes:

Secrets of the Stuxnet Worm's Travels - PCWorld

"Obviously, it spread beyond its intended target or targets," said Roel Schouwenberg, a senior antivirus researcher at Kaspersky Lab, one of the two security companies that has spent the most time analyzing Stuxnet.

Even though the Stuxnet makers obviously included measures to limit its spread, something went amiss, O Murchu said.

The original infection method, which relied on infected USB drives, included a counter that limited the spread to just three PCs, said O Murchu. "It's clear that the attackers did not want Stuxnet to spread very far," he said. "They wanted it to remain close to the original infection point."

The worm, which was designed to infiltrate heavy-duty industrial control programs that monitor and manage factories, oil pipelines, power plants and other critical installations, only popped onto researchers' radars this summer, nearly a year after it was likely first launched.

Sooo...are we looking at the 1st worm that decided it has a mind of it's own? I'm looking at you Skynet......:roflmao:

In all actuality, human error, but you have to wonder how long before someone writes something with AI that decides it's going to do what it wants, program instructions be damned

 

[Bootz]

DEBKAfile, Political Analysis, Espionage, Terrorism, Security

Whether the US and Israel are responsible or not, it looks like Iran is already accusing them of it according to this artical.

Though i read the other day somewhere that Germany and Russia are now suspects or believed to have taken part in it also.

I wouldnt dout if it were a combined effort.

As far as Corrine's artical, the only thing about that is there are most likely only a few countries with the resources and know how, on how to make and deploy something like this. In my opinion they at least had a part in it, providing intel on the locations targeted or what not.


Israel providing info on specific targets within Iran (because we know they both have spies in eachothers countries)->
Germany providing info on the Siemens software that runs at the targeted plants (because Siemens is a german company and is developed there)->
The US or a combined effort security team developes the virus (the US is one of only a few countries believed to have the resources to develope such a virus)->
Russian scientists plant initial virus in computer systems in Iran (almost all of the materials for Irans nuclear program were purchest from Russia, in addition, it is almost exclusively russian's working and doing the training at these sites)

Taiwan may also be involved based on the fact that, apparently security certificates used by the stuxnet virus were "stolen" (who really know) from a company or companies in Taiwan sometime last year.

just one of my theories

 

[malexous]

Thanks to some tips from a Dutch Profibus expert who responded to our call for help, we’ve connected a critical piece of the puzzle.

Since our discovery that Stuxnet actually modifies code on PLCs in a potential act of sabotage, we have been unable to determine what the exact purpose of Stuxnet is and what its target was.

However, we can now confirm that Stuxnet requires the industrial control system to have frequency converter drives from at least one of two specific vendors, one headquartered in Finland and the other in Tehran, Iran. This is in addition to the previous requirements we discussed of a S7-300 CPU and a CP-342-5 Profibus communications module.

The target system would potentially look something like the diagram below:
...

Stuxnet: A Breakthrough | Symantec Connect