Posted on 01/15/2011 9:55:37 PM PST by americanophile
Report: Israel used centrifuges identical to those in Iran to test out worm that set Teheran's nuclear program years back; virus was authorized by Bush administration, rather than allow an Israeli attack. Israel tested the Stuxnet virus in Dimona, according to a Sunday report by The New York Times.
Israel reportedly has centrifuges that are identical to those at the Iranian nuclear site in Natanz, which were used to test the Stuxnet computer worm.
In 2008, the Times reported, German company Siemens cooperated with the Idaho National Laboratory, allowing it to identify problems in the comany's computer controllers, which are used in Iranian nuclear plants. The laboratory is part of the American Energy Department, which is responsible for nuclear weapons in the US.
The vulnerabilities identified in 2008 were used the following year by Stuxnet.
The Times' report explained how Stuxnet operates. First, it spun Iranian nuclear centrifuges out of control. It would also secretly record the daily routine at the nuuclear plant and play back the recording of a regular day to operators at the plant. This way, it would seem that the facility was operating correctly, while the centrifuges were being destroyed.
The Stuxnet virus enters computers through removable drives or through the internet. It then spreads to other computers and any drives that may be plugged into them. The virus searches for computers with Step 7, software that programs Siemens controllers. After a controller is infected, Stuxnet hides itself. After a few days, the virus speeds and slows motors in such a way that could damage them. At the same time, it sends out the false signals described above.
(Excerpt) Read more at jpost.com ...
Thank you for doing what we didn't have the guts to do. Please know, there are many of us here in the US who are praying for you and for your nation.
Volunteer.
Pretty cool if true...
So, either the Iranians are morons and put their nuclear site on the web, or the Iranians are morons and left their USB ports and CD drives without security.
Or Israel had a system admin planted there.
Wonder if this would work on the Norks.
Amen to that. We could have been smart enough to pull something like this off but we lack the fortitude to actually do it. I’m glad some other countries care about keeping the world a safer place.
The Israelis took out all the Syrian air defense network with one infected printer. Makes me worry about what the Chinese could do to us. Way too much slack from users on the Siprnet for us to have any confidence.
I read an article about this awhile back...it was exceptionally interesting how STU worked in messing up Irans system. Many were saying it was absolutely brilliant.
It would be far better if this had remained secret for at least a while longer, but trust the NYT to do the dirty.
I bet Siemens isn’t too happy either.
According the the article, the US and the Germans were in on it too.
Don’t forget to thank Bill Gates for his role in making it possible :-)
Seriously, anyone who uses Microsoft Windows, attached to the Internet at large, to control a strategic weapons centrifuge deserves exactly what he gets.
(Psst, nobody mention Linux or MacOS)
I posted a link of the article to my Facebook account. A few people liked it !
What I read about the worm, no script kiddies need apply !
Maybe, just maybe, Mossad will be dispatched to punish the NY Times for printing this breach of Israel’s secrecy and security.
I know the US has done nothing about the breaches of US security, but Israel may have the courage to do something...
bttt
If Israel had anything to do with it at all.
This could be the usual Moose projection upon the Jews they hate so much of the consequences of their own bumbling and idiocy. And of course the New York Times would eat such a fabrication up. And no I don’t think that there is any “Mossad Mafia” mission to wreak revenge upon the Old Grey Lady, any more than they have done to the anti-Jewish Aftenposten of Sweden.
It was initially reported the Stuxnet was the genius of the Russians. But now we learn it was “Bush’s fault.”
Facility Supervisors being re-assigned.
“Wonder if this would work on the Norks.”
I bet it’s been in place for five or six years now. We can’t let maniacs get a hold of nukes and do nothing.
Loose #$%^ing lips sink %^&**ing ships.
It’s a little tougher to sneak something into North Korea. But as it looks like North Korea and Iran were collaborating on this little hold-the-world-hostage project, anything that trips Iran up would trip up North Korea too.
I'm sure that increased their will to work by orders of magnitude.
Godspeed
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