#2
topic-technology
author- Ed Barnes
Title-Mystery Surrounds Cyber Missile That Crippled Iran's Nuclear Weapons Ambitions
Published November 26, 2010
http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2010/11/26/secret-agent-crippled-irans-nuclear-ambitions/
Through a computer virus that manipulates windows software using zero days which are unidentified wholes in a systems security in this case windows 7 which are used to run Iranian nuclear facilities. Tncredibly complex the worm had multiple stages and was manipulating the system into thinking that it didn't exist. It was capable of penetrating a non server based operating terminal that had no connection to the world wide web. The worm was programmed almost exclusively for the sabotage of the Iranian nuclear facilities and was able to get onto the computer terminals and manipulate the logic controllers of the facility through workers using flash drives to connect to the terminals. The worm targeted workers around the facilities infecting all the computers and because it is able to use the operating system to hide it it wasn't found. The ingenuity of the worm is that is specifically targeted usb sticks to get onto the control computers because of the previously stated reasons. The planning and thought put into to the writing of this worm must have been years in the making a monster of a worm that can be used for industrial espionage and will undoubtedly be used in such terms because of its unique capabilities(the ability to control programmable logic controllers which are used to control robots). the program can erase its traces in the computer trace log which is how it hides its tracks. Perhaps the most incredible thing is that the worm is constantly being updated in fact they think that some anti virus programs are actually programmed to update the virus instead of get rid of it. The virus was discovered on august 6th this year and the writer is unknown but is thought to be a combination of us and Israel intelligence agency and is estimated to have taken 10000 man hours to write. The day that they found the worm the people who made it were able to erase it withing 24 hours of it being found.
topic-technology
author- Ed Barnes
Title-Mystery Surrounds Cyber Missile That Crippled Iran's Nuclear Weapons Ambitions
Published November 26, 2010
http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2010/11/26/secret-agent-crippled-irans-nuclear-ambitions/
Through a computer virus that manipulates windows software using zero days which are unidentified wholes in a systems security in this case windows 7 which are used to run Iranian nuclear facilities. Tncredibly complex the worm had multiple stages and was manipulating the system into thinking that it didn't exist. It was capable of penetrating a non server based operating terminal that had no connection to the world wide web. The worm was programmed almost exclusively for the sabotage of the Iranian nuclear facilities and was able to get onto the computer terminals and manipulate the logic controllers of the facility through workers using flash drives to connect to the terminals. The worm targeted workers around the facilities infecting all the computers and because it is able to use the operating system to hide it it wasn't found. The ingenuity of the worm is that is specifically targeted usb sticks to get onto the control computers because of the previously stated reasons. The planning and thought put into to the writing of this worm must have been years in the making a monster of a worm that can be used for industrial espionage and will undoubtedly be used in such terms because of its unique capabilities(the ability to control programmable logic controllers which are used to control robots). the program can erase its traces in the computer trace log which is how it hides its tracks. Perhaps the most incredible thing is that the worm is constantly being updated in fact they think that some anti virus programs are actually programmed to update the virus instead of get rid of it. The virus was discovered on august 6th this year and the writer is unknown but is thought to be a combination of us and Israel intelligence agency and is estimated to have taken 10000 man hours to write. The day that they found the worm the people who made it were able to erase it withing 24 hours of it being found.
This is very interesting, but at the same time very scary. To think that one's nuclear power is controlled, or at least influenced, by an outside presence, potentially an enemy is an alarming idea. Obviously this technology has proven it's worth, but in the hands of the wrong people it could be extremely dangerous.
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