Posted on 04/25/2011 7:00:20 AM PDT by IsraelBeach
After Stuxnet Computer Virus: Iran Says It's Discovered 2nd Cyber Attack
Official says new virus, "Stars," is being investigated; virus' target isn't revealed; official warns that Stuxnet still poses a risk; urges legal action in "cyber wars."
TEHRAN - Iran has been targeted by a second computer virus in a "cyber war" waged by its enemies, its commander of civil defense said on Monday.
Gholamreza Jalali told the semi-official Mehr news agency that the new virus, called "Stars", was being investigated by experts. Last year, Iran revealed that its computers were attacked by the Stuxnet worm, which attack the Bushehr nuclear reactor.
Tehran accuses Siemens over Stuxnet virus attack Latest Iranian threat routine, Israel expert says
"Fortunately, our young experts have been able to discover this virus and the Stars virus is now in the laboratory for more investigations," Jalali was quoted as saying. He did not specify the target of Stars or its intended impact.
"The particular characteristics of the Stars virus have been discovered," Jalali said.
"The virus is congruous and harmonious with the [computer] system and in the initial phase it does minor damage and might be mistaken for some executive files of government organizations."
Jalali warned that the Stuxnet worm, discovered in computers at Iran's Bushehr nuclear reactor last year, still posed a potential risk. Some experts described it as the world's first "guided cyber missile", aimed at Iran's atomic program.
Iranian officials said they had neutralized Stuxnet before it did the intended damage to its nuclear facilities. They blamed Israel and the United States -- which believe Iran is seeking nuclear weapons -- for the virus.
'Stuxnet virus is still a risk'
The existence of Stuxnet became public knowledge around the time that Iran began loading fuel into Bushehr, its first nuclear reactor, last August. Iran said in September that staff computers at Bushehr had been hit but that the plant itself was unharmed.
Bushehr is still not operational, having missed several start-up deadlines. This has prompted speculation that Stuxnet damaged the plant, something Iran denies.
Officials have said the virus could have posed a major risk had it not been discovered and dealt with before any major damage was done.
Some defense analysts say the main target was more likely to be Iran's uranium enrichment program. Enrichment creates fuel for nuclear power plants or, if pursued to a much higher degree, can provide material for an atomic bomb.
Jalali said Stuxnet might still pose a risk. "We should know that fighting the Stuxnet virus does not mean the threat has been completely tackled, because viruses have a certain life span and they might continue their activities in another way."
He urged the government to take action against the enemies he said were waging cyber war on Iran.
"Perhaps the Iran Foreign Ministry had overlooked the options to legally pursue the case, and it seems our diplomatic apparatus should pay more attention to follow up the cyber wars staged against Iran," Jalali said.
Who is wiping who off the map without one life lost? ;>
Must be Bush’s fault.
Sweet.
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THREAT MATRIX 2011 #1
Monday, April 25, 2011 8:50:48 AM · 946 of 951
MestaMachine
Iran sees”STARS”.
Iran says it has detected second cyber attack
Well, this old code jockey wants them to kick ass. Back in the day I would have given my left nut to work on something like that.
Three cheers for Iran for using Microsoft.
In other words, we found some Microsoft Word documents that we don't remember, but are convinced they are the work of the "Great Satan".
Those crazy Amish Israelis!
Yeah it had nothing to do with the fact nations are doing the hacking. nope, nothing at all
Go Israel Go!
Means the dumb *astards found the *Decoy*, LOL............Little do they know what really.......... :^)
“...it does minor damage and might be mistaken for some executive files of government organizations.”
Yeah, damage, I see how can it be mistaken with government papers.
I’d pay good money to be able to buy Stux’s developers a ginger ale and listen to them talk about the project.
One of the techs clicked “okay” when a popup told him his computer was infected. Now they can’t get rid of it until they register, and it’s spread throughout the network.
;’)
Thanks IsraelBeach.
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