Stuxnet

Stuxnet is a Windows-specific computer worm first discovered in June 2010 by VirusBlokAda, a security firm based in Belarus. It is the first discovered worm that spies on and reprograms industrial systems,^[1] the first to include aprogrammable logic controller (PLC) rootkit,^[2] and the first to target critical industrial infrastructure.^[3] It was specifically written to attack Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems used to control and monitor industrial processes.^[4] Stuxnet includes the capability to reprogram the PLCs and hide its changes.^[5]

The worm's probable target has been said to have been high value infrastructures in Iran using Siemens control systems.^[6][7] According to news reports the infestation by this worm might have damaged Iran's nuclear facilities in Natanz^[8][9] and eventually delayed the start up of Iran's Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant.^[10] Siemens has stated, however, that the worm has not in fact caused any damage.^[11]

Russian digital security company Kaspersky Labs released a statement that described Stuxnet as "a working and fearsome prototype of a cyber-weapon that will lead to the creation of a new arms race in the world." Kevin Hogan, Senior Director of Security Response at Symantec, noted that 60% of the infected computers worldwide were in Iran, suggesting its industrial plants were the target.^[12] Kaspersky Labs concluded that the attacks could only have been conducted "with nation-state support", making Iran the first target of real cyberwarfare.^[13][14][15]