Stuxnet is World's First Cyber Super Weapon

[cscott_it]

From all of the other reports I've read, it would seem that Israel is the most likely candidate and the source that all fingers are pointing to (both in Iran and abroad).

It's actually not uncommon for viruses to target specific infrastructure related PC's. However, they are normally only used for monitoring. Israel has succesfully done this a number of times, this would however, be the first attempt to disrupt operations. At least, that has been launched by a city-state/government.

As far as the whole Linux vs. Windows thing goes, nothing is perfect, and with the resources and programming power that developed Stuxnet, it would have happened to whatever OS was on the machine, so long as it was on a network with computers that could reach the internet.

 

[huron]

[citation][nom]trialsking[/nom]Like this was some big surprise. Its the 21st century, and this IS the future of warfare. Rayguns and Halo Spartan armor is not a future reality that is practical, its cyberwarfare on infrastructure. Why go head to head in a obvious open military conflict with all the political problems associated with that. Just look at the "war of terror", the battle lines are being rewritten as we speak.[/citation]

Isn't this the same type of plan that happened in the US Civil War, and in ancient wars (both Roman and Greek that I am aware of)? You hurt the infrastructure...railroads, farms, power, water, etc - this tactic is as old as warfare...they've just modernized to take advantage of technology.

I don't think we should be surprised...everything I have heard says that utilities that shouldn't be online have been connected. Apparently these systems are just ripe for attack/disruption.

 

[captjack5169]

You mean to tell me with all the money and talent out there in the black market, that a cybercrime or even a cyber contractor couldn't have built something this grand. 3 mil is pocket change to some of these people, you dont need a government entity to get this done. This has been coming for a while. There are people out there that know the only way to see what the cards are is to hack into utilities and high value tartgets and get access on a global basis.

 

[RooD]

I am more afraid of the power grids being brought down from hacks... it would kill a lot more people

 

[surfer1337dude]

Cybernet is now online

 

[Ciuy]

i smell U.S.A. funding.
)

 

[tommysch]

This is the way to go!!! But I miss the whole lets put a monkey as their new leader kind of thinking... The good old days of setting up pro American radio stations and arming farmers are gone. But we can do the same with Twitter and arming students, Iran anybody? Common CIA, you used to be efficient and PROACTIVE!

 

[liveonc]

Lie low, hide for years. They should've hid it in a piece of something mass produced. BIOS, network controllers, SIM cards???

 

[drwho1]

[citation][nom]JasonAkkerman[/nom]LOL @ $3 million dollars, 10 programmer, and six months...I design and program industrial control systems, including a number of other SCADA systems, PLC's, and DCS's. Trust me, it's not hard to screw them up. You think software crashes are a hassle? Try working in my field were it's an accepted common occurrence (at least during development). Poorly written code, and network infrastructures open the door to any number of ways to attack a control system. For that reason they are usually completely disconnected from the internet, or other networks connected to the internet. Hence they needed a USB stick to get the virus in.[/citation]
In other words this was an Inside Job.

 

[unrealpinky]

[citation][nom]Ciuy[/nom]i smell U.S.A. funding. )[/citation]
Actually, my first thought was that it was Israel backed. I think Israel has more to fear from an nuclear armed Iran nation than the US.

 

[tommysch]

[citation][nom]DCS vs PLC[/nom]PLC's can be used for emergency shut down's. The DCS's are used for normal day to day control. If the worm was aimed at PLC's and not DCS's, that's a very strategic choice.[/citation]

Well it all depends on how they organized their plant. The CIA probably had inside knowledge of the targeted plants. Im not sure most reporters have any idea as to what a DCS is.

[citation][nom]wymer100[/nom]Another reason not to use Windows, especially for critical functions.[/citation]

You dont have a clue do you? Does Siemens even have a control interface for another OS?

[citation][nom]RooD[/nom]I am more afraid of the power grids being brought down from hacks... it would kill a lot more people[/citation]

Black out > Chernobyl? Really?

 

[tommysch]

[citation][nom]Zingam[/nom]Infecting the computers of a nuclear powerplant is the worst kind of terrorism. And it that has been done by US or Israel... I have nothing else to say. Deeds speak for themselves.[/citation]

But not when you add the word Iranian in front of the target.

 

[JasonAkkerman]

[citation][nom]DCS vs PLC[/nom]PLC's can be used for emergency shut down's. The DCS's are used for normal day to day control. If the worm was aimed at PLC's and not DCS's, that's a very strategic choice.[/citation]

Oh yes you can. Say for instance a PLC was running a boiler BMS (burner management system) that was feeding steam to the plant. Take that PLC offline and you will trip the DCS.

Also, in case anyone wanted to know: Allen Bradly, the makers of PLC5, SLC500, controllogix, and many other PLCs, use Rockwell Software programming software (RSLogix) to program and interact with their PLC hardware. You can lock a PLC and the program with a password. If you don't have the password the master password of "abunlock" will open it up for you.

YES. These morons, and others trust me, code in master passwords that are freely available on in the internet. If you have a connection to their network you can easily create problems.

 

[Supertrek32]

[citation][nom]TommySch[/nom]Black out > Chernobyl? Really?[/citation]
Depends on the blackout. A widespread, prolonged blackout would most likely result in more deaths...

@The people arguing over what OS should be run:
A specific type of computers were targeted with the hack. It doesn't matter what they were running. The hackers would have adapted the virus to that particular OS. Running an obscure OS means nothing against a targeted attack. If anything, it makes you more vulnerable since the exploit (and thus the virus utilizing it) is less likely to be found/patched/fixed.

 

[Guest]

interesting, so basically they telling china we can do it too.......

 

[teknic111]

I wonder how they arrived at that number? Other than paying 10 programmers 300K each for 6 months work, what significant costs could there be?

I'm sure most of the money was spent on espionage. You would need to find out very specific things about the network you were attacking. Especially if its shrouded in security.

 

[nexus9113]

How are we so sure it's American or Israeli funded? Wouldn't it be just as likely to come from another group who wants to instigate strife b/ween others who are already on shaky diplomatic grounds?

I could easily see that since Iran, Israel, and the US aren't exactly in everyone's good graces nowadays. I wouldn't put it past a country like China (who's actually got the best ranked hackers ATM) to want eliminate its crazy neighbor (Iran) and biggest source of competition (US) in one swoop by having them go after each other's throats.

 

[CaptainBib]

Why is everyone assuming the US was behind this? The US isn't the only country in the world that does not want Iran to continue its nuclear program.

Ever hear of Israel, Turkey, China?

Also, assuming those figures about cost are correct, nearly any independently wealthy person in the world could have had that worm made.

 

[Guest]

Russian hackers would complete this worm within days.

 

[DejaVuBoy]

this is why the Cloud will fail