{"id":20230529,"url":"https://github.com/uraninite/stuxnet","last_synced_at":"2025-04-10T18:05:15.296Z","repository":{"id":222979966,"uuid":"348168041","full_name":"uraninite/stuxnet","owner":"uraninite","description":"Stuxnet is an extremely sophisticated computer worm that exploits multiple previously unknown Windows zero-day vulnerabilities to infect computers and spread. Its purpose was not just to infect PCs but to cause real-world physical effects. Specifically, it targets centrifuges used to produce the enriched uranium that powers nuclear weapons and reactors.","archived":false,"fork":false,"pushed_at":"2022-03-17T21:09:06.000Z","size":7706,"stargazers_count":62,"open_issues_count":1,"forks_count":23,"subscribers_count":2,"default_branch":"main","last_synced_at":"2025-03-24T15:47:27.026Z","etag":null,"topics":["bootkit","carberp","flame","hxdef","rootkit","rovnix","stuxnet","zeroaccess"],"latest_commit_sha":null,"homepage":"","language":"Assembly","has_issues":true,"has_wiki":null,"has_pages":null,"mirror_url":null,"source_name":null,"license":null,"status":null,"scm":"git","pull_requests_enabled":true,"icon_url":"https://github.com/uraninite.png","metadata":{"files":{"readme":"README.md","changelog":null,"contributing":null,"funding":null,"license":null,"code_of_conduct":null,"threat_model":null,"audit":null,"citation":null,"codeowners":null,"security":null,"support":null,"governance":null,"roadmap":null,"authors":null,"dei":null}},"created_at":"2021-03-16T00:55:16.000Z","updated_at":"2025-03-07T18:22:01.000Z","dependencies_parsed_at":"2024-02-17T12:51:05.999Z","dependency_job_id":null,"html_url":"https://github.com/uraninite/stuxnet","commit_stats":null,"previous_names":["uraninite/stuxnet"],"tags_count":0,"template":false,"template_full_name":null,"repository_url":"https://repos.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/hosts/GitHub/repositories/uraninite%2Fstuxnet","tags_url":"https://repos.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/hosts/GitHub/repositories/uraninite%2Fstuxnet/tags","releases_url":"https://repos.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/hosts/GitHub/repositories/uraninite%2Fstuxnet/releases","manifests_url":"https://repos.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/hosts/GitHub/repositories/uraninite%2Fstuxnet/manifests","owner_url":"https://repos.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/hosts/GitHub/owners/uraninite","download_url":"https://codeload.github.com/uraninite/stuxnet/tar.gz/refs/heads/main","host":{"name":"GitHub","url":"https://github.com","kind":"github","repositories_count":248265791,"owners_count":21075041,"icon_url":"https://github.com/github.png","version":null,"created_at":"2022-05-30T11:31:42.601Z","updated_at":"2022-07-04T15:15:14.044Z","host_url":"https://repos.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/hosts/GitHub","repositories_url":"https://repos.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/hosts/GitHub/repositories","repository_names_url":"https://repos.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/hosts/GitHub/repository_names","owners_url":"https://repos.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/hosts/GitHub/owners"}},"keywords":["bootkit","carberp","flame","hxdef","rootkit","rovnix","stuxnet","zeroaccess"],"created_at":"2024-11-14T07:42:56.790Z","updated_at":"2025-04-10T18:05:15.273Z","avatar_url":"https://github.com/uraninite.png","language":"Assembly","funding_links":[],"categories":[],"sub_categories":[],"readme":"\u003cdiv id=\"content\" class=\"mw-body\" role=\"main\"\u003e\u003ca id=\"top\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"siteNotice\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"centralNotice\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- CentralNotice --\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"mw-indicators\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ch1 id=\"firstHeading\" class=\"firstHeading\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003eStuxnet\u003c/h1\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"bodyContent\" class=\"vector-body\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"jump-to-nav\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"mw-content-text\" class=\"mw-body-content mw-content-ltr\" dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"mw-parser-output\" style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"shortdescription nomobile noexcerpt noprint searchaux\" style=\"display: none;\"\u003e Stuxnet is an extremely sophisticated computer worm that exploits multiple previously unknown Windows zero-day vulnerabilities to infect computers and spread. Its purpose was not just to infect PCs but to cause real-world physical effects. Specifically, it targets centrifuges used to produce the enriched uranium that powers nuclear weapons.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ctable class=\"infobox\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth class=\"infobox-label\" scope=\"row\"\u003eCommon name\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"infobox-data\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003eStuxnet\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth class=\"infobox-label\" scope=\"row\"\u003eTechnical name\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"infobox-data\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAs Stuxnet\u003c/strong\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBy \u003ca title=\"Microsoft\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft\"\u003eMicrosoft\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003cdd\u003eWorm:Win32/Stuxnet.[Letter]\u003c/dd\u003e\n\u003cdd\u003eTrojanDropper:Win32/Stuxnet\u003c/dd\u003e\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBy \u003ca title=\"NortonLifeLock\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NortonLifeLock\"\u003eSymantec\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003cdd\u003eW32.Stuxnet\u003c/dd\u003e\n\u003cdd\u003eW32.Stuxnet!lnk\u003c/dd\u003e\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBy \u003ca title=\"Sophos\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sophos\"\u003eSophos\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003cdd\u003eTroj/Stuxnet-[Letter]\u003c/dd\u003e\n\u003cdd\u003eTrojan-Dropper.Win32.Stuxnet.[letter]\u003c/dd\u003e\n\u003cdd\u003eWorm.Win32.Stuxnet.(letter)\u003c/dd\u003e\n\u003cdd\u003eTR/Drop.Stuxnet.(letter).(number)\u003c/dd\u003e\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBy \u003ca title=\"Kaspersky Lab\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaspersky_Lab\"\u003eKaspersky\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003cdd\u003eWorm.Win32.Stuxnet\u003c/dd\u003e\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBy \u003ca title=\"F-Secure\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F-Secure\"\u003eF-Secure\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003cdd\u003eTrojan-Dropper:W32/Stuxnet\u003c/dd\u003e\n\u003cdd\u003eRootkit:W32/Stuxnet\u003c/dd\u003e\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBy \u003ca title=\"Trend Micro\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trend_Micro\"\u003eTrend Micro\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003cdd\u003eRTKT_STUXNET.[Letter]\u003c/dd\u003e\n\u003cdd\u003eLNK_STUXNET.[Letter]\u003c/dd\u003e\n\u003cdd\u003eWORM_STUXNET.[Letter]\u003c/dd\u003e\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth class=\"infobox-label\" scope=\"row\"\u003eClassification\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"infobox-data\"\u003e\u003ca title=\"Computer worm\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_worm\"\u003eComputer worm\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth class=\"infobox-label\" scope=\"row\"\u003eType\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"infobox-data\"\u003e\u003ca title=\"Dropper (malware)\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dropper_(malware)\"\u003eDropper\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth class=\"infobox-label\" scope=\"row\"\u003eAuthor(s)\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"infobox-data\"\u003e\u003ca title=\"Equation Group\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equation_Group\"\u003eEquation Group\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth class=\"infobox-label\" scope=\"row\"\u003e\u003ca title=\"Operating system\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operating_system\"\u003eOperating system(s)\u003c/a\u003e affected\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"infobox-data\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"plainlist\"\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca title=\"Windows 2000\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_2000\"\u003eWindows 2000\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca title=\"Windows XP\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_XP\"\u003eWindows XP\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"Windows 2003\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_2003\"\u003eWindows 2003\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca title=\"Windows Vista\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Vista\"\u003eWindows Vista\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca title=\"Windows Server 2008\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Server_2008\"\u003eWindows Server 2008\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca title=\"Windows 7\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_7\"\u003eWindows 7\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca title=\"Windows Server 2008 R2\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Server_2008_R2\"\u003eWindows Server 2008 R2\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003csmall\u003eSource:\u003c/small\u003e\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-1\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-1\"\u003e[1]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eStuxnet\u003c/strong\u003e is a \u003ca title=\"Malware\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malware\"\u003emalicious\u003c/a\u003e \u003ca title=\"Computer worm\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_worm\"\u003ecomputer worm\u003c/a\u003e first uncovered in 2010 and thought to have been in development since at least 2005. Stuxnet targets supervisory control and data acquisition (\u003ca title=\"SCADA\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SCADA\"\u003eSCADA\u003c/a\u003e) systems and is believed to be responsible for causing substantial damage to the \u003ca title=\"Nuclear program of Iran\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_program_of_Iran\"\u003enuclear program of Iran\u003c/a\u003e. Although neither country has openly admitted responsibility, the worm is widely understood to be a \u003ca title=\"Cyberweapon\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyberweapon\"\u003ecyberweapon\u003c/a\u003e built jointly by the \u003ca title=\"United States\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States\"\u003eUnited States\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca title=\"Israel\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel\"\u003eIsrael\u003c/a\u003e in a collaborative effort known as \u003ca title=\"Operation Olympic Games\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Olympic_Games\"\u003eOperation Olympic Games\u003c/a\u003e.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-2\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-2\"\u003e[2]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-3\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-3\"\u003e[3]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-4\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-4\"\u003e[4]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStuxnet specifically targets \u003ca title=\"Programmable logic controller\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Programmable_logic_controller\"\u003eprogrammable logic controllers\u003c/a\u003e (PLCs), which allow the automation of electromechanical processes such as those used to control machinery and industrial processes including \u003ca title=\"Gas centrifuge\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gas_centrifuge\"\u003egas centrifuges\u003c/a\u003e for separating nuclear material. Exploiting four \u003ca title=\"Zero-day (computing)\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zero-day_(computing)\"\u003ezero-day\u003c/a\u003e flaws,\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-5\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-5\"\u003e[5]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e Stuxnet functions by targeting machines using the \u003ca title=\"Microsoft Windows\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Windows\"\u003eMicrosoft Windows\u003c/a\u003e operating system and networks, then seeking out \u003ca title=\"Siemens\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siemens\"\u003eSiemens\u003c/a\u003e Step7 software. Stuxnet reportedly compromised Iranian PLCs, collecting information on industrial systems and causing the fast-spinning centrifuges to tear themselves apart.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-6\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-6\"\u003e[6]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e Stuxnet's design and architecture are not domain-specific and it could be tailored as a platform for attacking modern SCADA and PLC systems (e.g., in factory assembly lines or power plants), most of which are in Europe, \u003ca title=\"Japan\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan\"\u003eJapan\u003c/a\u003e, and the United States.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-7\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-7\"\u003e[7]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e Stuxnet reportedly ruined almost one-fifth of Iran's \u003ca class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"Nuclear centrifuge\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_centrifuge\"\u003enuclear centrifuges\u003c/a\u003e.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-8\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-8\"\u003e[8]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e Targeting industrial control systems, the worm infected over 200,000 computers and caused 1,000 machines to physically degrade.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-9\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-9\"\u003e[9]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStuxnet has three modules: a \u003ca title=\"Computer worm\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_worm\"\u003eworm\u003c/a\u003e that executes all routines related to the main payload of the attack; a \u003ca class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"File shortcut\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File_shortcut\"\u003elink file\u003c/a\u003e that automatically executes the propagated copies of the worm; and a \u003ca title=\"Rootkit\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rootkit\"\u003erootkit\u003c/a\u003e component responsible for hiding all malicious files and processes, to prevent detection of Stuxnet.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-10\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-10\"\u003e[10]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e It is typically introduced to the target environment via an infected \u003ca title=\"USB flash drive\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USB_flash_drive\"\u003eUSB flash drive\u003c/a\u003e, thus crossing any \u003ca title=\"Air gap (networking)\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_gap_(networking)\"\u003eair gap\u003c/a\u003e. The worm then propagates across the network, scanning for Siemens Step7 software on computers controlling a PLC. In the absence of either criterion, Stuxnet becomes dormant inside the computer. If both the conditions are fulfilled, Stuxnet introduces the infected rootkit onto the PLC and Step7 software, modifying the code and giving unexpected commands to the PLC while returning a loop of normal operation system values back to the users.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-11\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-11\"\u003e[11]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-12\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-12\"\u003e[12]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn 2015, \u003ca title=\"Kaspersky Lab\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaspersky_Lab\"\u003eKaspersky Lab\u003c/a\u003e noted that the \u003ca title=\"Equation Group\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equation_Group\"\u003eEquation Group\u003c/a\u003e had used two of the same zero-day attacks prior to their use in Stuxnet, in another malware called fanny.bmp.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-13\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-13\"\u003e[13]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-14\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-14\"\u003e[14]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e and commented that \"the similar type of usage of both exploits together in different computer worms, at around the same time, indicates that the Equation Group and the Stuxnet developers are either the same or working closely together\".\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-15\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-15\"\u003e[15]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn 2019, Chronicle researchers Juan Andres Guerrero-Saade and Silas Cutler presented evidence of at least four distinct threat actor malware platforms collaborating to create the different versions of Stuxnet.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-16\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-16\"\u003e[16]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-17\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-17\"\u003e[17]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e The collaboration was dubbed 'GOSSIP GIRL' after a threat group leaked from classified \u003ca title=\"Communications Security Establishment\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communications_Security_Establishment\"\u003eCSE\u003c/a\u003e slides that included Flame.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-18\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-18\"\u003e[18]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e GOSSIP GIRL is a cooperative umbrella that includes the \u003ca title=\"Equation Group\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equation_Group\"\u003eEquation Group\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca title=\"Flame (malware)\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flame_(malware)\"\u003eFlame\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca title=\"Duqu\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duqu\"\u003eDuqu\u003c/a\u003e, and Flowershop (also known as 'Cheshire Cat').\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-19\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-19\"\u003e[19]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-20\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-20\"\u003e[20]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-21\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-21\"\u003e[21]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn 2020, researcher Facundo Mu\u0026ntilde;oz found evidence suggesting that Equation Group collaborated with Stuxnet developers in 2009 by lending them at least one zero-day exploit,\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-22\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-22\"\u003e[22]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e and one exploit from 2008\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-23\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-23\"\u003e[23]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e that was being actively used in-the-wild by the \u003ca title=\"Conficker\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conficker\"\u003eConficker\u003c/a\u003e computer worm and Chinese hackers.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-24\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-24\"\u003e[24]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e In 2017, a group of hackers known as \u003ca title=\"The Shadow Brokers\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Shadow_Brokers\"\u003eThe Shadow Brokers\u003c/a\u003e leaked a massive trove of tools belonging to Equation Group, including new versions of both exploits compiled in 2010, showing significant code overlaps as both Stuxnet's exploits and Equation Group's exploits were developed using a set of libraries called \"Exploit Development Framework\" also leaked by The Shadow Brokers.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"toc\" class=\"toc\" role=\"navigation\" aria-labelledby=\"mw-toc-heading\"\u003e\u003cinput id=\"toctogglecheckbox\" class=\"toctogglecheckbox\" style=\"display: none;\" role=\"button\" type=\"checkbox\" /\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"toctitle\" dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"mw-toc-heading\"\u003eContents\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003clabel class=\"toctogglelabel\" for=\"toctogglecheckbox\"\u003e\u003c/label\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"toclevel-1 tocsection-1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#Discovery\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"tocnumber\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"toctext\"\u003eDiscovery\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"toclevel-1 tocsection-2\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#History\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"tocnumber\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"toctext\"\u003eHistory\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"toclevel-1 tocsection-3\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#Affected_countries\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"tocnumber\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"toctext\"\u003eAffected countries\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"toclevel-1 tocsection-4\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#Operation\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"tocnumber\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"toctext\"\u003eOperation\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"toclevel-2 tocsection-5\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#Windows_infection\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"tocnumber\"\u003e4.1\u003c/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"toctext\"\u003eWindows infection\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"toclevel-2 tocsection-6\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#Step_7_software_infection\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"tocnumber\"\u003e4.2\u003c/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"toctext\"\u003eStep 7 software infection\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"toclevel-2 tocsection-7\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#PLC_infection\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"tocnumber\"\u003e4.3\u003c/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"toctext\"\u003ePLC infection\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"toclevel-1 tocsection-8\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#Removal\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"tocnumber\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"toctext\"\u003eRemoval\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"toclevel-1 tocsection-9\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#Control_system_security\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"tocnumber\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"toctext\"\u003eControl system security\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"toclevel-1 tocsection-10\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#Target_and_origin\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"tocnumber\"\u003e7\u003c/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"toctext\"\u003eTarget and origin\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"toclevel-2 tocsection-11\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#Iran_as_a_target\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"tocnumber\"\u003e7.1\u003c/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"toctext\"\u003eIran as a target\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"toclevel-3 tocsection-12\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#Natanz_nuclear_facilities\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"tocnumber\"\u003e7.1.1\u003c/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"toctext\"\u003eNatanz nuclear facilities\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"toclevel-3 tocsection-13\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#Iranian_reaction\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"tocnumber\"\u003e7.1.2\u003c/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"toctext\"\u003eIranian reaction\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"toclevel-3 tocsection-14\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#Israel\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"tocnumber\"\u003e7.1.3\u003c/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"toctext\"\u003eIsrael\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"toclevel-3 tocsection-15\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#United_States\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"tocnumber\"\u003e7.1.4\u003c/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"toctext\"\u003eUnited States\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"toclevel-3 tocsection-16\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#Joint_effort_and_other_states_and_targets\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"tocnumber\"\u003e7.1.5\u003c/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"toctext\"\u003eJoint effort and other states and targets\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"toclevel-2 tocsection-17\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#Deployment_in_North_Korea\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"tocnumber\"\u003e7.2\u003c/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"toctext\"\u003eDeployment in North Korea\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"toclevel-2 tocsection-18\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#Stuxnet_2.0_cyberattack\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"tocnumber\"\u003e7.3\u003c/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"toctext\"\u003eStuxnet 2.0 cyberattack\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"toclevel-1 tocsection-19\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#Related_malware\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"tocnumber\"\u003e8\u003c/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"toctext\"\u003eRelated malware\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"toclevel-2 tocsection-20\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#\u0026quot;Stuxnet's_Secret_Twin\u0026quot;\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"tocnumber\"\u003e8.1\u003c/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"toctext\"\u003e\"Stuxnet's Secret Twin\"\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"toclevel-2 tocsection-21\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#Duqu\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"tocnumber\"\u003e8.2\u003c/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"toctext\"\u003eDuqu\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"toclevel-2 tocsection-22\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#Flame\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"tocnumber\"\u003e8.3\u003c/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"toctext\"\u003eFlame\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"toclevel-2 tocsection-23\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#Targeting_military_command,_control,_communications_and_intelligence\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"tocnumber\"\u003e8.4\u003c/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"toctext\"\u003eTargeting military command, control, communications and intelligence\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"toclevel-1 tocsection-24\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#Media_coverage\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"tocnumber\"\u003e9\u003c/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"toctext\"\u003eMedia coverage\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"toclevel-1 tocsection-25\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#In_popular_culture\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"tocnumber\"\u003e10\u003c/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"toctext\"\u003eIn popular culture\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"toclevel-1 tocsection-26\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#See_also\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"tocnumber\"\u003e11\u003c/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"toctext\"\u003eSee also\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"toclevel-1 tocsection-27\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#References\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"tocnumber\"\u003e12\u003c/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"toctext\"\u003eReferences\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"toclevel-1 tocsection-28\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#Further_reading\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"tocnumber\"\u003e13\u003c/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"toctext\"\u003eFurther reading\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"toclevel-1 tocsection-29\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#External_links\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"tocnumber\"\u003e14\u003c/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"toctext\"\u003eExternal links\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\u003cspan id=\"Discovery\" class=\"mw-headline\"\u003eDiscovery\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStuxnet, discovered by Sergey Ulasen, initially spread via Microsoft Windows, and targeted Siemens \u003ca title=\"Industrial control system\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industrial_control_system\"\u003eindustrial control systems\u003c/a\u003e. While it is not the first time that hackers have targeted industrial systems,\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-Siemans-Cyber_25-0\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-Siemans-Cyber-25\"\u003e[25]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e nor the first publicly known intentional act of \u003ca title=\"Cyberwarfare\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyberwarfare\"\u003ecyberwarfare\u003c/a\u003e to be implemented, it is the first discovered \u003ca title=\"Malware\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malware\"\u003emalware\u003c/a\u003e that spies on and subverts industrial systems,\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-compworld_26-0\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-compworld-26\"\u003e[26]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e and the first to include a \u003ca title=\"Programmable logic controller\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Programmable_logic_controller\"\u003eprogrammable logic controller\u003c/a\u003e (PLC) \u003ca title=\"Rootkit\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rootkit\"\u003erootkit\u003c/a\u003e.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-27\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-27\"\u003e[27]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-28\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-28\"\u003e[28]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe worm initially spreads indiscriminately, but includes a highly specialized malware payload that is designed to target only Siemens \u003ca title=\"SCADA\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SCADA\"\u003esupervisory control and data acquisition\u003c/a\u003e (SCADA) systems that are configured to control and monitor specific industrial processes.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-29\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-29\"\u003e[29]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-APtehran_30-0\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-APtehran-30\"\u003e[30]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e Stuxnet infects PLCs by subverting the \u003ca title=\"WinCC\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WinCC\"\u003eStep-7\u003c/a\u003e software application that is used to reprogram these devices.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-Keizer1_31-0\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-Keizer1-31\"\u003e[31]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-RewritingPlaybook_32-0\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-RewritingPlaybook-32\"\u003e[32]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDifferent variants of Stuxnet targeted five Iranian organizations,\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-33\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-33\"\u003e[33]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e with the probable target widely suspected to be \u003ca title=\"Enriched uranium\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enriched_uranium\"\u003euranium enrichment\u003c/a\u003e infrastructure in \u003ca title=\"Iran\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran\"\u003eIran\u003c/a\u003e;\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-RewritingPlaybook_32-1\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-RewritingPlaybook-32\"\u003e[32]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-BBC_34-0\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-BBC-34\"\u003e[34]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-35\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-35\"\u003e[35]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e \u003ca title=\"NortonLifeLock\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NortonLifeLock\"\u003eSymantec\u003c/a\u003e noted in August 2010 that 60% of the infected computers worldwide were in Iran.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-36\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-36\"\u003e[36]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e Siemens stated that the worm has caused no damage to its customers,\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-37\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-37\"\u003e[37]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e but the \u003ca title=\"Iran\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran\"\u003eIran\u003c/a\u003e nuclear program, which uses \u003ca title=\"United Nations Security Council Resolution 1737\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_Security_Council_Resolution_1737\"\u003eembargoed\u003c/a\u003e Siemens equipment procured secretly, has been damaged by Stuxnet.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-38\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-38\"\u003e[38]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-NYTimes20100929_39-0\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-NYTimes20100929-39\"\u003e[39]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e Kaspersky Lab concluded that the sophisticated attack could only have been conducted \"with nation-state support.\"\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-40\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-40\"\u003e[40]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e \u003ca title=\"F-Secure\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F-Secure\"\u003eF-Secure\u003c/a\u003e's chief researcher \u003ca title=\"Mikko Hypp\u0026ouml;nen\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikko_Hypp%C3%B6nen\"\u003eMikko Hypp\u0026ouml;nen\u003c/a\u003e, when asked if possible nation-state support was involved, agreed \"That's what it would look like, yes.\"\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-41\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-41\"\u003e[41]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn May 2011, the PBS program \u003cem\u003e\u003ca class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"Need to Know (PBS)\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Need_to_Know_(PBS)\"\u003eNeed To Know\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/em\u003e cited a statement by \u003ca title=\"Gary Samore\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Samore\"\u003eGary Samore\u003c/a\u003e, White House Coordinator for Arms Control and Weapons of Mass Destruction, in which he said, \"we're glad they [the Iranians] are having trouble with their centrifuge machine and that we \u0026ndash; the U.S. and its allies \u0026ndash; are doing everything we can to make sure that we complicate matters for them,\" offering \"winking acknowledgement\" of United States involvement in Stuxnet.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-42\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-42\"\u003e[42]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e According to \u003cem\u003e\u003ca title=\"The Daily Telegraph\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Daily_Telegraph\"\u003eThe Daily Telegraph\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/em\u003e, a showreel that was played at a retirement party for the head of the \u003ca title=\"Israel Defense Forces\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel_Defense_Forces\"\u003eIsrael Defense Forces\u003c/a\u003e (IDF), \u003ca title=\"Gabi Ashkenazi\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gabi_Ashkenazi\"\u003eGabi Ashkenazi\u003c/a\u003e, included references to Stuxnet as one of his operational successes as the IDF chief of staff.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-retirement_43-0\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-retirement-43\"\u003e[43]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOn 1 June 2012, an article in \u003cem\u003eThe New York Times\u003c/em\u003e said that Stuxnet is part of a US and Israeli intelligence operation named \u003cem\u003e\u003ca title=\"Operation Olympic Games\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Olympic_Games\"\u003eOperation Olympic Games\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/em\u003e, devised by the NSA under President \u003ca title=\"George W. Bush\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_W._Bush\"\u003eGeorge W. Bush\u003c/a\u003e and executed under President \u003ca title=\"Barack Obama\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama\"\u003eBarack Obama\u003c/a\u003e.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-sanger2012June_44-0\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-sanger2012June-44\"\u003e[44]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOn 24 July 2012, an article by Chris Matyszczyk from \u003ca title=\"CNET\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CNET\"\u003eCNET\u003c/a\u003e\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-45\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-45\"\u003e[45]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e reported how the \u003ca title=\"Atomic Energy Organization of Iran\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atomic_Energy_Organization_of_Iran\"\u003eAtomic Energy Organization of Iran\u003c/a\u003e e-mailed \u003ca title=\"F-Secure\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F-Secure\"\u003eF-Secure\u003c/a\u003e's chief research officer \u003ca title=\"Mikko Hypp\u0026ouml;nen\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikko_Hypp%C3%B6nen\"\u003eMikko Hypp\u0026ouml;nen\u003c/a\u003e to report a new instance of malware.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOn 25 December 2012, an Iranian semi-official news agency announced there was a cyberattack by Stuxnet, this time on the industries in the southern area of the country. The malware targeted a power plant and some other industries in \u003ca class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"Hormozgan province\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hormozgan_province\"\u003eHormozgan province\u003c/a\u003e in recent months.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-46\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-46\"\u003e[46]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAccording to expert \u003ca title=\"Eugene Kaspersky\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eugene_Kaspersky\"\u003eEugene Kaspersky\u003c/a\u003e, the worm also infected a nuclear power plant in Russia. Kaspersky noted, however, that since the power plant is not connected to the public Internet, the system should remain safe.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-47\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-47\"\u003e[47]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\u003cspan id=\"History\" class=\"mw-headline\"\u003eHistory\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe worm was at first identified by the security company \u003ca class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"VirusBlokAda\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VirusBlokAda\"\u003eVirusBlokAda\u003c/a\u003e in mid-June 2010.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-Keizer1_31-1\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-Keizer1-31\"\u003e[31]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e Journalist \u003ca title=\"Brian Krebs\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Krebs\"\u003eBrian Krebs\u003c/a\u003e's blog posting on 15 July 2010 was the first widely read report on the worm.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-krebs20100715_48-0\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-krebs20100715-48\"\u003e[48]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-gross201104_49-0\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-gross201104-49\"\u003e[49]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e The original name given by VirusBlokAda was \"Rootkit.Tmphider;\"\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-50\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-50\"\u003e[50]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e Symantec however called it \"W32.Temphid,\" later changing to \"W32.Stuxnet.\"\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-51\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-51\"\u003e[51]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e Its current name is derived from a combination of some keywords in the software (\".stub\" and \"mrxnet.sys\").\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-52\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-52\"\u003e[52]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-53\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-53\"\u003e[53]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e The reason for the discovery at this time is attributed to the virus accidentally spreading beyond its intended target (the \u003ca title=\"Natanz\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natanz\"\u003eNatanz\u003c/a\u003e plant) due to a programming error introduced in an update; this led to the worm spreading to an engineer's computer that had been connected to the centrifuges, and spreading further when the engineer returned home and connected his computer to the internet.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-sanger2012June_44-1\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-sanger2012June-44\"\u003e[44]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKaspersky Lab experts at first estimated that Stuxnet started spreading around March or April 2010,\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-54\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-54\"\u003e[54]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e but the first variant of the worm appeared in June 2009.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-Keizer1_31-2\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-Keizer1-31\"\u003e[31]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e On 15 July 2010, the day the worm's existence became widely known, a \u003ca class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"Distributed denial-of-service\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distributed_denial-of-service\"\u003edistributed denial-of-service\u003c/a\u003e attack was made on the servers for two leading mailing lists on industrial-systems security. This attack, from an unknown source but likely related to Stuxnet, disabled one of the lists, thereby interrupting an important source of information for power plants and factories.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-gross201104_49-1\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-gross201104-49\"\u003e[49]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e​ On the other hand, researchers at \u003ca title=\"NortonLifeLock\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NortonLifeLock\"\u003eSymantec\u003c/a\u003e have uncovered a version of the Stuxnet computer virus that was used to attack Iran's nuclear program in November 2007, being developed as early as 2005, when Iran was still setting up its uranium enrichment facility.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-55\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-55\"\u003e[55]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe second variant, with substantial improvements, appeared in March 2010, apparently because its authors believed that Stuxnet was not spreading fast enough; a third, with minor improvements, appeared in April 2010.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-gross201104_49-2\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-gross201104-49\"\u003e[49]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e​ The worm contains a component with a build time-stamp from 3 February 2010.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-eset_microscope_56-0\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-eset_microscope-56\"\u003e[56]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e In the United Kingdom on 25 November 2010, \u003ca title=\"Sky News\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sky_News\"\u003eSky News\u003c/a\u003e reported that it had received information from an anonymous source at an unidentified \u003ca class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"IT security\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IT_security\"\u003eIT security\u003c/a\u003e organization that Stuxnet, or a variation of the worm, had been traded on the \u003ca title=\"Black market\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_market\"\u003eblack market\u003c/a\u003e.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-cyber_terrorists_57-0\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-cyber_terrorists-57\"\u003e[57]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\u003cspan id=\"Affected_countries\" class=\"mw-headline\"\u003eAffected countries\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA study of the spread of Stuxnet by \u003ca title=\"NortonLifeLock\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NortonLifeLock\"\u003eSymantec\u003c/a\u003e showed that the main affected countries in the early days of the infection were Iran, Indonesia and India:\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-W32.Stuxnet_58-0\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-W32.Stuxnet-58\"\u003e[58]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ctable class=\"wikitable\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eCountry\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eShare of infected computers\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eIran\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e58.85%\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eIndonesia\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e18.22%\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eIndia\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e8.31%\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAzerbaijan\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e2.57%\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eUnited States\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e1.56%\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePakistan\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e1.28%\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eOther countries\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e9.2%\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIran was reported to have \"beefed up\" its cyberwar abilities following the Stuxnet attack, and has been suspected of retaliatory attacks against United States banks.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-59\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-59\"\u003e[59]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUnlike most malware, Stuxnet does little harm to computers and networks that do not meet specific configuration requirements; \"The attackers took great care to make sure that only their designated targets were hit\u0026nbsp;... It was a marksman's job.\"\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-broad20110115_60-0\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-broad20110115-60\"\u003e[60]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e​ While the worm is promiscuous, it makes itself inert if Siemens software is not found on infected computers, and contains safeguards to prevent each infected computer from spreading the worm to more than three others, and to erase itself on 24 June 2012.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-gross201104_49-4\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-gross201104-49\"\u003e[49]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e​\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor its targets, Stuxnet contains, among other things, code for a \u003ca title=\"Man-in-the-middle attack\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man-in-the-middle_attack\"\u003eman-in-the-middle attack\u003c/a\u003e that fakes industrial process control sensor signals so an infected system does not shut down due to detected abnormal behavior.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-gross201104_49-5\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-gross201104-49\"\u003e[49]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e​\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-broad20110115_60-1\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-broad20110115-60\"\u003e[60]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e​\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-SonsOfStuxnet_61-0\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-SonsOfStuxnet-61\"\u003e[61]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e Such complexity is very unusual for \u003ca title=\"Malware\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malware\"\u003emalware\u003c/a\u003e. The worm consists of a layered attack against three different systems:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe \u003ca title=\"Microsoft Windows\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Windows\"\u003eWindows operating system\u003c/a\u003e,\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSiemens PCS 7, WinCC and STEP7 industrial software applications that run on Windows and\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOne or more Siemens S7 PLCs.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan id=\"Windows_infection\" class=\"mw-headline\"\u003eWindows infection\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStuxnet attacked Windows systems using an unprecedented four \u003ca title=\"Zero-day (computing)\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zero-day_(computing)\"\u003ezero-day\u003c/a\u003e attacks (plus the \u003ca title=\"CPLINK\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CPLINK\"\u003eCPLINK\u003c/a\u003e \u003ca title=\"Vulnerability (computing)\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vulnerability_(computing)\"\u003evulnerability\u003c/a\u003e and a vulnerability used by the \u003ca title=\"Conficker\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conficker\"\u003eConficker\u003c/a\u003e worm\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-62\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-62\"\u003e[62]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e). It is initially spread using infected removable drives such as \u003ca title=\"USB flash drive\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USB_flash_drive\"\u003eUSB flash drives\u003c/a\u003e,\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-RewritingPlaybook_32-2\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-RewritingPlaybook-32\"\u003e[32]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-eset_microscope_56-1\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-eset_microscope-56\"\u003e[56]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e which contain Windows shortcut files to initiate executable code.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-63\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-63\"\u003e[63]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e The worm then uses other exploits and techniques such as \u003ca title=\"Peer-to-peer\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peer-to-peer\"\u003epeer-to-peer\u003c/a\u003e \u003ca title=\"Remote procedure call\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remote_procedure_call\"\u003eremote procedure call\u003c/a\u003e (RPC) to infect and update other computers inside private networks that are not directly connected to the Internet.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-wired_64-0\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-wired-64\"\u003e[64]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-65\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-65\"\u003e[65]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-symantec_dossier_66-0\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-symantec_dossier-66\"\u003e[66]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e The number of zero-day exploits used is unusual, as they are highly valued and \u003ca class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"Hacker (computer security)\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hacker_(computer_security)\"\u003emalware creators\u003c/a\u003e do not typically make use of (and thus simultaneously make visible) four different zero-day exploits in the same worm.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-BBC_34-1\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-BBC-34\"\u003e[34]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e Amongst these exploits were remote code execution on a computer with Printer Sharing enabled,\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-67\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-67\"\u003e[67]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e and the LNK/PIF vulnerability,\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-68\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-68\"\u003e[68]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e in which file execution is accomplished when an icon is viewed in Windows Explorer, negating the need for user interaction.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-69\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-69\"\u003e[69]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e Stuxnet is unusually large at half a megabyte in size,\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-wired_64-1\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-wired-64\"\u003e[64]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e and written in several different programming languages (including \u003ca title=\"C (programming language)\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C_(programming_language)\"\u003eC\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca title=\"C++\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C%2B%2B\"\u003eC++\u003c/a\u003e) which is also irregular for malware.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-compworld_26-1\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-compworld-26\"\u003e[26]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-Keizer1_31-3\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-Keizer1-31\"\u003e[31]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-SonsOfStuxnet_61-1\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-SonsOfStuxnet-61\"\u003e[61]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e The Windows component of the malware is \u003ca class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"Promiscuous\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Promiscuous\"\u003epromiscuous\u003c/a\u003e in that it spreads relatively quickly and indiscriminately.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-eset_microscope_56-2\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-eset_microscope-56\"\u003e[56]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe malware has both \u003ca title=\"Protection ring\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protection_ring\"\u003euser mode and kernel mode\u003c/a\u003e \u003ca title=\"Rootkit\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rootkit\"\u003erootkit\u003c/a\u003e ability under Windows,\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-symantec_dossier_66-1\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-symantec_dossier-66\"\u003e[66]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e and its \u003ca title=\"Device driver\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Device_driver\"\u003edevice drivers\u003c/a\u003e have been \u003ca title=\"Digital signature\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_signature\"\u003edigitally signed\u003c/a\u003e with the private keys of two \u003ca title=\"Public key certificate\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_key_certificate\"\u003epublic key certificates\u003c/a\u003e that were stolen from separate well-known companies, \u003ca title=\"JMicron\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JMicron\"\u003eJMicron\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca title=\"Realtek\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Realtek\"\u003eRealtek\u003c/a\u003e, both located at \u003ca title=\"Hsinchu Science Park\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hsinchu_Science_Park\"\u003eHsinchu Science Park\u003c/a\u003e in Taiwan.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-eset_microscope_56-3\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-eset_microscope-56\"\u003e[56]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-wired_64-2\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-wired-64\"\u003e[64]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e The \u003ca title=\"Code signing\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Code_signing\"\u003edriver signing\u003c/a\u003e helped it install \u003ca title=\"Protection ring\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protection_ring\"\u003ekernel mode\u003c/a\u003e rootkit drivers successfully without users being notified, and thus it remained undetected for a relatively long period of time.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-kaspersky_70-0\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-kaspersky-70\"\u003e[70]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e Both compromised certificates have been \u003ca class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"Revocation list\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revocation_list\"\u003erevoked\u003c/a\u003e by \u003ca title=\"Verisign\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verisign\"\u003eVerisign\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTwo websites in Denmark and Malaysia were configured as \u003ca class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"Command and control (malware)\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Command_and_control_(malware)\"\u003ecommand and control\u003c/a\u003e servers for the malware, allowing it to be updated, and for \u003ca title=\"Industrial espionage\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industrial_espionage\"\u003eindustrial espionage\u003c/a\u003e to be conducted by uploading information. Both of these \u003ca title=\"Domain name\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domain_name\"\u003edomain names\u003c/a\u003e have subsequently been redirected by their \u003ca class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"DNS\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DNS\"\u003eDNS\u003c/a\u003e service provider to \u003ca title=\"Dynadot\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dynadot\"\u003eDynadot\u003c/a\u003e as part of a global effort to disable the malware.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-symantec_dossier_66-2\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-symantec_dossier-66\"\u003e[66]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-gross201104_49-6\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-gross201104-49\"\u003e[49]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e​\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan id=\"Step_7_software_infection\" class=\"mw-headline\"\u003eStep 7 software infection\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"thumb tright\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"thumbinner\" style=\"width: 222px;\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"image\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Step7_communicating_with_plc.svg\"\u003e\u003cimg class=\"thumbimage\" src=\"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9b/Step7_communicating_with_plc.svg\" srcset=\"//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9b/Step7_communicating_with_plc.svg/330px-Step7_communicating_with_plc.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9b/Step7_communicating_with_plc.svg/440px-Step7_communicating_with_plc.svg.png 2x\" alt=\"\" width=\"220\" height=\"117\" data-file-width=\"535\" data-file-height=\"285\" /\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"thumbcaption\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"magnify\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/div\u003e\nOverview of normal communications between Step\u0026nbsp;7 and a Siemens \u003ca title=\"Programmable logic controller\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Programmable_logic_controller\"\u003ePLC\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"thumb tright\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"thumbinner\" style=\"width: 222px;\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"image\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Stuxnet_modifying_plc.svg\"\u003e\u003cimg class=\"thumbimage\" src=\"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/16/Stuxnet_modifying_plc.svg\" srcset=\"//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/16/Stuxnet_modifying_plc.svg/330px-Stuxnet_modifying_plc.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/16/Stuxnet_modifying_plc.svg/440px-Stuxnet_modifying_plc.svg.png 2x\" alt=\"\" width=\"220\" height=\"117\" data-file-width=\"535\" data-file-height=\"285\" /\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"thumbcaption\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"magnify\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/div\u003e\nOverview of Stuxnet hijacking communication between Step\u0026nbsp;7 software and a Siemens PLC\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAccording to researcher Ralph Langner,\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-71\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-71\"\u003e[71]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-72\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-72\"\u003e[72]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e once installed on a Windows system Stuxnet infects project files belonging to Siemens' \u003ca title=\"WinCC\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WinCC\"\u003eWinCC\u003c/a\u003e/\u003ca class=\"new\" title=\"PCS 7 (page does not exist)\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=PCS_7\u0026amp;action=edit\u0026amp;redlink=1\"\u003ePCS 7\u003c/a\u003e SCADA control software\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-73\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-73\"\u003e[73]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e (Step\u0026nbsp;7), and subverts a key communication library of WinCC called \u003ccode\u003es7otbxdx.dll\u003c/code\u003e. Doing so intercepts communications between the WinCC software running under Windows and the target Siemens PLC devices that the software is able to configure and program when the two are connected via a data cable. In this way, the malware is able to install itself on PLC devices unnoticed, and subsequently to mask its presence from WinCC if the control software attempts to read an infected block of memory from the PLC system.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-symantec_dossier_66-3\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-symantec_dossier-66\"\u003e[66]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe malware furthermore used a \u003ca title=\"Zero-day (computing)\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zero-day_(computing)\"\u003ezero-day exploit\u003c/a\u003e in the WinCC/SCADA database software in the form of a hard-coded database password.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-74\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-74\"\u003e[74]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan id=\"PLC_infection\" class=\"mw-headline\"\u003ePLC infection\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"thumb tleft\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"thumbinner\" style=\"width: 222px;\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"image\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:S7300.JPG\"\u003e\u003cimg class=\"thumbimage\" src=\"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1f/S7300.JPG\" srcset=\"//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1f/S7300.JPG/330px-S7300.JPG 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1f/S7300.JPG/440px-S7300.JPG 2x\" alt=\"\" width=\"220\" height=\"137\" data-file-width=\"2863\" data-file-height=\"1779\" /\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"thumbcaption\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"magnify\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/div\u003e\nSiemens Simatic S7-300 PLC CPU with three I/O modules attached\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe entirety of the Stuxnet code has not yet been disclosed, but its payload targets only those SCADA configurations that meet criteria that it is programmed to identify.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-gross201104_49-7\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-gross201104-49\"\u003e[49]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e​\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStuxnet requires specific slave \u003ca title=\"Variable-frequency drive\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Variable-frequency_drive\"\u003evariable-frequency drives\u003c/a\u003e (frequency converter drives) to be attached to the targeted Siemens S7-300 system and its associated modules. It only attacks those PLC systems with variable-frequency drives from two specific vendors: \u003ca title=\"Vacon\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vacon\"\u003eVacon\u003c/a\u003e based in Finland and Fararo Paya based in Iran.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-chien_75-0\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-chien-75\"\u003e[75]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e Furthermore, it monitors the frequency of the attached motors, and only attacks systems that spin between 807\u0026nbsp;\u003ca title=\"Hertz\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hertz\"\u003eHz\u003c/a\u003e and 1,210\u0026nbsp;Hz. This is a much higher frequency than motors operate in most industrial applications, with the notable exception of \u003ca title=\"Gas centrifuge\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gas_centrifuge\"\u003egas centrifuges\u003c/a\u003e.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-chien_75-1\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-chien-75\"\u003e[75]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e Stuxnet installs malware into memory block DB890 of the PLC that monitors the \u003ca title=\"Profibus\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Profibus\"\u003eProfibus\u003c/a\u003e messaging bus of the system.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-symantec_dossier_66-4\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-symantec_dossier-66\"\u003e[66]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e When certain criteria are met, it periodically modifies the frequency to 1,410\u0026nbsp;Hz and then to 2\u0026nbsp;Hz and then to 1,064\u0026nbsp;Hz, and thus affects the operation of the connected motors by changing their rotational speed.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-chien_75-2\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-chien-75\"\u003e[75]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e It also installs a rootkit \u0026ndash; the first such documented case on this platform \u0026ndash; that hides the malware on the system and masks the changes in rotational speed from monitoring systems.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\u003cspan id=\"Removal\" class=\"mw-headline\"\u003eRemoval\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSiemens has released a detection and removal tool for Stuxnet. Siemens recommends contacting customer support if an infection is detected and advises installing Microsoft updates for security vulnerabilities and prohibiting the use of third-party \u003ca title=\"USB flash drive\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USB_flash_drive\"\u003eUSB flash drives\u003c/a\u003e.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-Siemens_76-0\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-Siemens-76\"\u003e[76]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e Siemens also advises immediately upgrading password access codes.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-77\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-77\"\u003e[77]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe worm's ability to reprogram external PLCs may complicate the removal procedure. Symantec's Liam O'Murchu warns that fixing Windows systems may not fully solve the infection; a thorough audit of PLCs may be necessary. Despite speculation that incorrect removal of the worm could cause damage,\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-78\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-78\"\u003e[78]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e Siemens reports that in the first four months since discovery, the malware was successfully removed from the systems of 22 customers without any adverse effects.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-Siemens_76-1\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-Siemens-76\"\u003e[76]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-crve_79-0\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-crve-79\"\u003e[79]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\u003cspan id=\"Control_system_security\" class=\"mw-headline\"\u003eControl system security\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"hatnote navigation-not-searchable\" role=\"note\"\u003eMain article: \u003ca title=\"Control system security\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Control_system_security\"\u003eControl system security\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePrevention of control system security incidents,\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-80\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-80\"\u003e[80]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e such as from viral infections like Stuxnet, is a topic that is being addressed in both the public and the private sector.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe US Department of Homeland Security \u003ca title=\"National Cyber Security Division\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Cyber_Security_Division\"\u003eNational Cyber Security Division\u003c/a\u003e (NCSD) operates the Control System Security Program (CSSP).\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-81\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-81\"\u003e[81]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e The program operates a specialized \u003ca title=\"Computer emergency response team\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_emergency_response_team\"\u003ecomputer emergency response team\u003c/a\u003e called the \u003ca class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"Industrial Control Systems Cyber Emergency Response Team\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industrial_Control_Systems_Cyber_Emergency_Response_Team\"\u003eIndustrial Control Systems Cyber Emergency Response Team\u003c/a\u003e (ICS-CERT), conducts a biannual conference (\u003cabbr title=\"Industrial Control Systems Joint Working Group\"\u003eICSJWG\u003c/abbr\u003e), provides training, publishes recommended practices, and provides a self-assessment tool. As part of a Department of Homeland Security plan to improve American computer security, in 2008 it and the \u003ca title=\"Idaho National Laboratory\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idaho_National_Laboratory\"\u003eIdaho National Laboratory\u003c/a\u003e (INL) worked with Siemens to identify security holes in the company's widely used Process Control System 7 (PCS 7) and its software Step 7. In July 2008, INL and Siemens publicly announced flaws in the control system at a Chicago conference; Stuxnet exploited these holes in 2009.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-broad20110115_60-2\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-broad20110115-60\"\u003e[60]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeveral industry organizations\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-82\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-82\"\u003e[82]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-83\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-83\"\u003e[83]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e and professional societies\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-84\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-84\"\u003e[84]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-85\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-85\"\u003e[85]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e have published standards and best practice guidelines providing direction and guidance for control system end-users on how to establish a \u003ca title=\"Control system security\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Control_system_security\"\u003econtrol system security\u003c/a\u003e management program. The basic premise that all of these documents share is that prevention requires a multi-layered approach, often termed \u003cem\u003e\u003ca title=\"Defense in depth (computing)\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defense_in_depth_(computing)\"\u003edefense in depth\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/em\u003e.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-86\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-86\"\u003e[86]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e The layers include policies and procedures, awareness and training, network segmentation, access control measures, physical security measures, system hardening, e.g., patch management, and system monitoring, anti-virus and \u003ca class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"Intrusion prevention system\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intrusion_prevention_system\"\u003eintrusion prevention system\u003c/a\u003e (IPS). The standards and best practices\u003csup class=\"noprint Inline-Template\" style=\"white-space: nowrap;\"\u003e[\u003cem\u003e\u003ca title=\"Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Words to watch\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style/Words_to_watch#Unsupported_attributions\"\u003e\u003cspan title=\"The material near this tag possibly uses too-vague attribution or weasel words. (December 2010)\"\u003ewho?\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/em\u003e]\u003c/sup\u003e also all\u003csup class=\"noprint Inline-Template\" style=\"white-space: nowrap;\"\u003e[\u003cem\u003e\u003ca title=\"Wikipedia:No original research\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:No_original_research#Synthesis_of_published_material\"\u003e\u003cspan title=\"The material near this tag may be based upon an improper synthesis of sources. (December 2010)\"\u003eimproper synthesis?\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/em\u003e]\u003c/sup\u003e recommend starting with a risk analysis and a control system security assessment.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-87\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-87\"\u003e[87]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-tofinoexida201202_88-0\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-tofinoexida201202-88\"\u003e[88]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\u003cspan id=\"Target_and_origin\" class=\"mw-headline\"\u003eTarget and origin\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eExperts believe that Stuxnet required the largest and costliest development effort in malware history.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-gross201104_49-8\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-gross201104-49\"\u003e[49]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e​ Developing its many abilities would have required a team of highly capable programmers, in-depth knowledge of \u003ca class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"Industrial process\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industrial_process\"\u003eindustrial processes\u003c/a\u003e, and an interest in attacking industrial infrastructure.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-compworld_26-2\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-compworld-26\"\u003e[26]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-Keizer1_31-4\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-Keizer1-31\"\u003e[31]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e Eric Byres, who has years of experience maintaining and troubleshooting Siemens systems, told \u003cem\u003e\u003ca title=\"Wired (magazine)\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wired_(magazine)\"\u003eWired\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/em\u003e that writing the code would have taken many man-months, if not man-years.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-wired_64-3\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-wired-64\"\u003e[64]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e \u003ca title=\"NortonLifeLock\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NortonLifeLock\"\u003eSymantec\u003c/a\u003e estimates that the group developing Stuxnet would have consisted of between five and thirty people, and would have taken six months to prepare.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-guardian_89-0\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-guardian-89\"\u003e[89]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-gross201104_49-9\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-gross201104-49\"\u003e[49]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e​ \u003cem\u003eThe Guardian\u003c/em\u003e, the BBC and \u003cem\u003eThe New York Times\u003c/em\u003e all claimed that (unnamed) experts studying Stuxnet believe the complexity of the code indicates that only a nation-state would have the abilities to produce it.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-BBC_34-2\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-BBC-34\"\u003e[34]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-guardian_89-1\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-guardian-89\"\u003e[89]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-nyt_90-0\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-nyt-90\"\u003e[90]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e The self-destruct and other safeguards within the code implied that a Western government was responsible, or at least is responsible for its development.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-gross201104_49-10\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-gross201104-49\"\u003e[49]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e​ However, software security expert \u003ca title=\"Bruce Schneier\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruce_Schneier\"\u003eBruce Schneier\u003c/a\u003e initially condemned the 2010 news coverage of Stuxnet as hype, stating that it was almost entirely based on speculation.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-91\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-91\"\u003e[91]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e But after subsequent research, Schneier stated in 2012 that \"we can now conclusively link Stuxnet to the centrifuge structure at the Natanz nuclear enrichment lab in Iran\".\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-92\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-92\"\u003e[92]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan id=\"Iran_as_a_target\" class=\"mw-headline\"\u003eIran as a target\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRalph Langner, the researcher who identified that Stuxnet infected PLCs,\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-RewritingPlaybook_32-3\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-RewritingPlaybook-32\"\u003e[32]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e first speculated publicly in September 2010 that the malware was of Israeli origin, and that it targeted Iranian nuclear facilities.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-93\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-93\"\u003e[93]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e However Langner more recently, at a \u003ca title=\"TED (conference)\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TED_(conference)\"\u003eTED\u003c/a\u003e conference, recorded in February 2011, stated that, \"My opinion is that the \u003ca title=\"Mossad\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mossad\"\u003eMossad\u003c/a\u003e is involved, but that the leading force is not Israel. The leading force behind Stuxnet is the cyber superpower \u0026ndash; there is only one; and that's the United States.\"\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-94\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-94\"\u003e[94]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e Kevin Hogan, Senior Director of Security Response at Symantec, reported that most infected systems were in \u003ca title=\"Iran\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran\"\u003eIran\u003c/a\u003e (about 60%),\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-95\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-95\"\u003e[95]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e which has led to speculation that it may have been deliberately targeting \"high-value infrastructure\" in Iran\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-BBC_34-3\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-BBC-34\"\u003e[34]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e including either the \u003ca title=\"Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bushehr_Nuclear_Power_Plant\"\u003eBushehr Nuclear Power Plant\u003c/a\u003e or the \u003ca title=\"Nuclear facilities in Iran\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_facilities_in_Iran#Natanz\"\u003eNatanz nuclear facility\u003c/a\u003e.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-wired_64-4\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-wired-64\"\u003e[64]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-96\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-96\"\u003e[96]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-97\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-97\"\u003e[97]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e Langner called the malware \"a one-shot weapon\" and said that the intended target was probably hit,\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-98\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-98\"\u003e[98]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e although he admitted this was speculation.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-wired_64-5\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-wired-64\"\u003e[64]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e Another German researcher and spokesman of the German-based \u003ca title=\"Chaos Computer Club\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaos_Computer_Club\"\u003eChaos Computer Club\u003c/a\u003e, Frank Rieger, was the first to speculate that Natanz was the target.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-gross201104_49-11\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-gross201104-49\"\u003e[49]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e​\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003e\u003cspan id=\"Natanz_nuclear_facilities\" class=\"mw-headline\"\u003eNatanz nuclear facilities\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"thumb tright\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"thumbinner\" style=\"width: 222px;\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"image\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Natanz_nuclear.jpg\"\u003e\u003cimg class=\"thumbimage\" src=\"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3a/Natanz_nuclear.jpg\" srcset=\"//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3a/Natanz_nuclear.jpg/330px-Natanz_nuclear.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3a/Natanz_nuclear.jpg/440px-Natanz_nuclear.jpg 2x\" alt=\"\" width=\"220\" height=\"165\" data-file-width=\"1024\" data-file-height=\"768\" /\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"thumbcaption\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"magnify\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"Anti-aircraft gun\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-aircraft_gun\"\u003eAnti-aircraft guns\u003c/a\u003e guarding Natanz Nuclear Facility\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAccording to the Israeli newspaper \u003cem\u003e\u003ca title=\"Haaretz\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haaretz\"\u003eHaaretz\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/em\u003e, in September 2010 experts on Iran and computer security specialists were increasingly convinced that Stuxnet was meant \"to \u003ca title=\"Sabotage\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabotage\"\u003esabotage\u003c/a\u003e the uranium enrichment facility at Natanz \u0026ndash; where the centrifuge operational capacity had dropped over the past year by 30 percent.\"\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-100\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-100\"\u003e[100]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e On 23 November 2010 it was announced that uranium enrichment at Natanz had ceased several times because of a series of major technical problems.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-101\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-101\"\u003e[101]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-102\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-102\"\u003e[102]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e A \"serious nuclear accident\" (supposedly the shutdown of some of its centrifuges\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-economist_103-0\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-economist-103\"\u003e[103]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e) occurred at the site in the first half of 2009, which is speculated to have forced \u003ca title=\"Gholam Reza Aghazadeh\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gholam_Reza_Aghazadeh\"\u003eGholam Reza Aghazadeh\u003c/a\u003e, the head of the \u003ca title=\"Atomic Energy Organization of Iran\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atomic_Energy_Organization_of_Iran\"\u003eAtomic Energy Organization of Iran\u003c/a\u003e (AEOI) to resign.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-104\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-104\"\u003e[104]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e Statistics published by the \u003ca title=\"Federation of American Scientists\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federation_of_American_Scientists\"\u003eFederation of American Scientists\u003c/a\u003e (FAS) show that the number of enrichment centrifuges operational in Iran mysteriously declined from about 4,700 to about 3,900 beginning around the time the nuclear incident WikiLeaks mentioned would have occurred.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-105\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-105\"\u003e[105]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e The \u003ca title=\"Institute for Science and International Security\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Institute_for_Science_and_International_Security\"\u003eInstitute for Science and International Security\u003c/a\u003e (ISIS) suggests, in a report published in December 2010, that Stuxnet is a reasonable explanation for the apparent damage\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-ISIS-1_106-0\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-ISIS-1-106\"\u003e[106]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e at Natanz, and may have destroyed up to 1,000 centrifuges (10 percent) sometime between November 2009 and late January 2010. The authors conclude:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote class=\"templatequote\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe attacks seem designed to force a change in the centrifuge\u0026rsquo;s rotor speed, first raising the speed and then lowering it, likely with the intention of inducing excessive vibrations or distortions that would destroy the centrifuge. If its goal was to quickly destroy all the centrifuges in the FEP [Fuel Enrichment Plant], Stuxnet failed. But if the goal was to destroy a more limited number of centrifuges and set back Iran\u0026rsquo;s progress in operating the FEP, while making detection difficult, it may have succeeded, at least temporarily.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-ISIS-1_106-1\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-ISIS-1-106\"\u003e[106]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe ISIS report further notes that Iranian authorities have attempted to conceal the breakdown by installing new centrifuges on a large scale.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-ISIS-1_106-2\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-ISIS-1-106\"\u003e[106]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-Spiege_l_26_December_2010_107-0\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-Spiege_l_26_December_2010-107\"\u003e[107]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe worm worked by first causing an infected Iranian IR-1 centrifuge to increase from its normal operating speed of 1,064 \u003ca title=\"Hertz\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hertz\"\u003ehertz\u003c/a\u003e to 1,410 hertz for 15 minutes before returning to its normal frequency. Twenty-seven days later, the worm went back into action, slowing the infected centrifuges down to a few hundred hertz for a full 50 minutes. The stresses from the excessive, then slower, speeds caused the aluminium centrifugal tubes to expand, often forcing parts of the centrifuges into sufficient contact with each other to destroy the machine.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-Stark_108-0\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-Stark-108\"\u003e[108]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAccording to \u003cem\u003e\u003ca title=\"The Washington Post\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Washington_Post\"\u003eThe Washington Post\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/em\u003e, \u003ca title=\"International Atomic Energy Agency\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Atomic_Energy_Agency\"\u003eInternational Atomic Energy Agency\u003c/a\u003e (IAEA) cameras installed in the Natanz facility recorded the sudden dismantling and removal of approximately 900\u0026ndash;1,000 centrifuges during the time the Stuxnet worm was reportedly active at the plant. Iranian technicians, however, were able to quickly replace the centrifuges and the report concluded that uranium enrichment was likely only briefly disrupted.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-109\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-109\"\u003e[109]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOn 15 February 2011, the \u003ca title=\"Institute for Science and International Security\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Institute_for_Science_and_International_Security\"\u003eInstitute for Science and International Security\u003c/a\u003e released a report concluding that:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote class=\"templatequote\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAssuming Iran exercises caution, Stuxnet is unlikely to destroy more centrifuges at the Natanz plant. Iran likely cleaned the malware from its control systems. To prevent re-infection, Iran will have to exercise special caution since so many computers in Iran contain Stuxnet. Although Stuxnet appears to be designed to destroy centrifuges at the Natanz facility, destruction was by no means total. Moreover, Stuxnet did not lower the production of \u003ca title=\"Enriched uranium\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enriched_uranium#Low_enriched_uranium_(LEU)\"\u003elow enriched uranium (LEU)\u003c/a\u003e during 2010. LEU quantities could have certainly been greater, and Stuxnet could be an important part of the reason why they did not increase significantly. Nonetheless, there remain important questions about why Stuxnet destroyed only 1,000 centrifuges. One observation is that it may be harder to destroy centrifuges by use of cyber attacks than often believed.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-ISIS-2_110-0\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-ISIS-2-110\"\u003e[110]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003e\u003cspan id=\"Iranian_reaction\" class=\"mw-headline\"\u003eIranian reaction\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe \u003ca title=\"Associated Press\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Associated_Press\"\u003eAssociated Press\u003c/a\u003e reported that the semi-official \u003ca title=\"Iranian Students News Agency\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iranian_Students_News_Agency\"\u003eIranian Students News Agency\u003c/a\u003e released a statement on 24 September 2010 stating that experts from the \u003ca title=\"Atomic Energy Organization of Iran\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atomic_Energy_Organization_of_Iran\"\u003eAtomic Energy Organization of Iran\u003c/a\u003e met in the previous week to discuss how Stuxnet could be removed from their systems.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-APtehran_30-1\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-APtehran-30\"\u003e[30]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e According to analysts, such as \u003ca title=\"David Albright\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Albright\"\u003eDavid Albright\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca title=\"Western world\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_world\"\u003eWestern\u003c/a\u003e intelligence agencies had been attempting to \u003ca title=\"Sabotage\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabotage\"\u003esabotage\u003c/a\u003e the Iranian nuclear program for some time.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-sabotage_111-0\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-sabotage-111\"\u003e[111]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-EyesCyberwar_112-0\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-EyesCyberwar-112\"\u003e[112]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe head of the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant told \u003ca title=\"Reuters\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reuters\"\u003eReuters\u003c/a\u003e that only the \u003ca title=\"Personal computer\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personal_computer\"\u003epersonal computers\u003c/a\u003e of staff at the plant had been infected by Stuxnet and the state-run newspaper \u003cem\u003eIran Daily\u003c/em\u003e quoted \u003ca title=\"Reza Taghipour\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reza_Taghipour\"\u003eReza Taghipour\u003c/a\u003e, Iran's telecommunications minister, as saying that it had not caused \"serious damage to government systems\".\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-nyt_90-1\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-nyt-90\"\u003e[90]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e The Director of Information Technology Council at the Iranian Ministry of Industries and Mines, Mahmud Liaii, has said that: \"An \u003ca title=\"Cyberwarfare\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyberwarfare\"\u003eelectronic war\u003c/a\u003e has been launched against Iran... This computer worm is designed to transfer data about production lines from our industrial plants to locations outside Iran.\"\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-113\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-113\"\u003e[113]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn response to the infection, Iran assembled a team to combat it. With more than 30,000 IP addresses affected in Iran, an official said that the infection was fast spreading in Iran and the problem had been compounded by the ability of Stuxnet to mutate. Iran had set up its own systems to clean up infections and had advised against using the Siemens SCADA antivirus since it is suspected that the antivirus contains embedded code which updates Stuxnet instead of removing it.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-114\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-114\"\u003e[114]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-afp_115-0\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-afp-115\"\u003e[115]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-116\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-116\"\u003e[116]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-post_117-0\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-post-117\"\u003e[117]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAccording to Hamid Alipour, deputy head of Iran's government Information Technology Company, \"The attack is still ongoing and new versions of this virus are spreading.\" He reported that his company had begun the cleanup process at Iran's \"sensitive centres and organizations.\"\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-afp_115-1\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-afp-115\"\u003e[115]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e \"We had anticipated that we could root out the virus within one to two months, but the virus is not stable, and since we started the cleanup process three new versions of it have been spreading\", he told the \u003ca title=\"Islamic Republic News Agency\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_Republic_News_Agency\"\u003eIslamic Republic News Agency\u003c/a\u003e on 27 September 2010.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-post_117-1\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-post-117\"\u003e[117]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOn 29 November 2010, Iranian president \u003ca title=\"Mahmoud Ahmadinejad\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahmoud_Ahmadinejad\"\u003eMahmoud Ahmadinejad\u003c/a\u003e stated for the first time that a computer virus had caused problems with the controller handling the centrifuges at its Natanz facilities. According to Reuters, he told reporters at a news conference in Tehran, \"They succeeded in creating problems for a limited number of our centrifuges with the software they had installed in electronic parts.\"\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-118\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-118\"\u003e[118]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-119\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-119\"\u003e[119]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOn the same day two Iranian nuclear scientists were targeted in separate, but nearly simultaneous car bomb attacks near \u003ca title=\"Shahid Beheshti University\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shahid_Beheshti_University\"\u003eShahid Beheshti University\u003c/a\u003e in Tehran. \u003ca title=\"Majid Shahriari\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Majid_Shahriari\"\u003eMajid Shahriari\u003c/a\u003e, a quantum physicist was killed. \u003ca title=\"Fereydoon Abbasi\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fereydoon_Abbasi\"\u003eFereydoon Abbasi\u003c/a\u003e, a high-ranking official at the \u003ca class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics (Iran)\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ministry_of_Defense_and_Armed_Forces_Logistics_(Iran)\"\u003eMinistry of Defense\u003c/a\u003e was seriously wounded. \u003cem\u003eWired\u003c/em\u003e speculated that the assassinations could indicate that whoever was behind Stuxnet felt that it was not sufficient to stop the nuclear program.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-wired1_120-0\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-wired1-120\"\u003e[120]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e That same \u003cem\u003eWired\u003c/em\u003e article suggested the \u003ca class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"Iranian government\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iranian_government\"\u003eIranian government\u003c/a\u003e could have been behind the assassinations.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-wired1_120-1\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-wired1-120\"\u003e[120]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e In January 2010, another Iranian nuclear scientist, a physics professor at \u003ca class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"Tehran University\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tehran_University\"\u003eTehran University\u003c/a\u003e, was killed in a similar bomb explosion.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-wired1_120-2\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-wired1-120\"\u003e[120]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e On 11 January 2012, a Director of the Natanz nuclear enrichment facility, \u003ca title=\"Mostafa Ahmadi Roshan\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mostafa_Ahmadi_Roshan\"\u003eMostafa Ahmadi Roshan\u003c/a\u003e, was killed in an attack quite similar to the one that killed Shahriari.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-Fox_News_121-0\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-Fox_News-121\"\u003e[121]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAn analysis by the FAS demonstrates that Iran's enrichment capacity grew during 2010. The study indicated that Iran's centrifuges appeared to be performing 60% better than in the previous year, which would significantly reduce Tehran's time to produce bomb-grade uranium. The FAS report was reviewed by an official with the IAEA who affirmed the study.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-FAS_122-0\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-FAS-122\"\u003e[122]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-Haaretz_123-0\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-Haaretz-123\"\u003e[123]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-124\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-124\"\u003e[124]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEuropean and US officials, along with private experts told Reuters that Iranian engineers were successful in neutralizing and purging Stuxnet from their country's nuclear machinery.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-125\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-125\"\u003e[125]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGiven the growth in Iranian enrichment ability in 2010, the country may have intentionally put out \u003ca title=\"Misinformation\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Misinformation\"\u003emisinformation\u003c/a\u003e to cause Stuxnet's creators to believe that the worm was more successful in disabling the Iranian nuclear program than it actually was.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-gross201104_49-12\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-gross201104-49\"\u003e[49]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e​\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003e\u003cspan id=\"Israel\" class=\"mw-headline\"\u003eIsrael\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca title=\"Israel\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel\"\u003eIsrael\u003c/a\u003e, through \u003ca title=\"Unit 8200\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unit_8200\"\u003eUnit 8200\u003c/a\u003e,\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-126\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-126\"\u003e[126]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-sanger_127-0\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-sanger-127\"\u003e[127]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e has been speculated to be the country behind Stuxnet in many media reports\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-guardian_89-2\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-guardian-89\"\u003e[89]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-economist_103-1\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-economist-103\"\u003e[103]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-FP_128-0\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-FP-128\"\u003e[128]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e and by experts such as \u003ca title=\"Richard A. Falkenrath\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_A._Falkenrath\"\u003eRichard A. Falkenrath\u003c/a\u003e, former Senior Director for Policy and Plans within the US \u003ca class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"Office of Homeland Security\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Office_of_Homeland_Security\"\u003eOffice of Homeland Security\u003c/a\u003e.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-Yahoo!_129-0\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-Yahoo!-129\"\u003e[129]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-nyt_90-2\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-nyt-90\"\u003e[90]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e​ Yossi Melman, who covers intelligence for Israeli newspaper \u003cem\u003eHaaretz\u003c/em\u003e and wrote a book about Israeli intelligence, also suspected that Israel was involved, noting that \u003ca title=\"Meir Dagan\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meir_Dagan\"\u003eMeir Dagan\u003c/a\u003e, the former (up until 2011) head of the national intelligence agency \u003ca title=\"Mossad\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mossad\"\u003eMossad\u003c/a\u003e, had his term extended in 2009 because he was said to be involved in important projects. Additionally, in 2010 Israel grew to expect that Iran would have a nuclear weapon in 2014 or 2015 \u0026ndash; at least three years later than earlier estimates \u0026ndash; without the need for an Israeli military attack on Iranian nuclear facilities; \"They seem to know something, that they have more time than originally thought\", he added.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-NYTimes20100929_39-1\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-NYTimes20100929-39\"\u003e[39]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-broad20110115_60-3\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-broad20110115-60\"\u003e[60]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e​ Israel has not publicly commented on the Stuxnet attack but in 2010 confirmed that cyberwarfare was now among the pillars of its defense doctrine, with a military intelligence unit set up to pursue both defensive and offensive options.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-130\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-130\"\u003e[130]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-131\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-131\"\u003e[131]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-132\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-132\"\u003e[132]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e When questioned whether Israel was behind the virus in the fall of 2010, some Israeli officials\u003csup class=\"noprint Inline-Template\" style=\"white-space: nowrap;\"\u003e[\u003cem\u003e\u003ca title=\"Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Words to watch\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style/Words_to_watch#Unsupported_attributions\"\u003e\u003cspan title=\"The material near this tag possibly uses too-vague attribution or weasel words. (July 2017)\"\u003ewho?\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/em\u003e]\u003c/sup\u003e broke into \"wide smiles\", fueling speculation that the government of Israel was involved with its genesis.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-nyt-19stuxnet_133-0\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-nyt-19stuxnet-133\"\u003e[133]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e American presidential advisor Gary Samore also smiled when Stuxnet was mentioned,\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-broad20110115_60-4\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-broad20110115-60\"\u003e[60]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e​ although American officials have suggested that the virus originated abroad.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-nyt-19stuxnet_133-1\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-nyt-19stuxnet-133\"\u003e[133]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e According to \u003cem\u003eThe Telegraph\u003c/em\u003e, Israeli newspaper \u003cem\u003eHaaretz\u003c/em\u003e reported that a video celebrating operational successes of \u003ca title=\"Gabi Ashkenazi\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gabi_Ashkenazi\"\u003eGabi Ashkenazi\u003c/a\u003e, retiring \u003ca title=\"Israel Defense Forces\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel_Defense_Forces\"\u003eIsrael Defense Forces\u003c/a\u003e (IDF) Chief of Staff, was shown at his retirement party and included references to Stuxnet, thus strengthening claims that Israel's security forces were responsible.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-WilliamsCTelegraph_134-0\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-WilliamsCTelegraph-134\"\u003e[134]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn 2009, a year before Stuxnet was discovered, Scott Borg of the United States Cyber-Consequences Unit (US-CCU)\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-135\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-135\"\u003e[135]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e suggested that Israel may prefer to mount a cyber-attack rather than a military strike on Iran's nuclear facilities.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-EyesCyberwar_112-1\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-EyesCyberwar-112\"\u003e[112]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e And, in late 2010 Borg stated, \"Israel certainly has the ability to create Stuxnet and there is little downside to such an attack because it would be virtually impossible to prove who did it. So a tool like Stuxnet is Israel's obvious weapon of choice.\"\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-economist2_136-0\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-economist2-136\"\u003e[136]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e Iran uses \u003ca class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"P-1 centrifuge\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-1_centrifuge\"\u003eP-1 centrifuges\u003c/a\u003e at Natanz, the design for which \u003ca class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"A. Q. Khan\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A._Q._Khan\"\u003eA. Q. Khan\u003c/a\u003e stole in 1976 and took to Pakistan. His \u003ca title=\"Black market\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_market\"\u003eblack market\u003c/a\u003e \u003ca title=\"Nuclear proliferation\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_proliferation#Pakistan\"\u003enuclear-proliferation network\u003c/a\u003e sold P-1s to, among other customers, Iran. Experts believe that Israel also somehow acquired P-1s and tested Stuxnet on the centrifuges, installed at the \u003ca class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"Negev Nuclear Research Center\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Negev_Nuclear_Research_Center\"\u003eDimona\u003c/a\u003e facility that is part of \u003ca class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"Israel and nuclear weapons\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel_and_nuclear_weapons\"\u003eits own nuclear program\u003c/a\u003e.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-broad20110115_60-5\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-broad20110115-60\"\u003e[60]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e​ The equipment may be from the United States, which received P-1s from \u003ca class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"Libya and nuclear technology\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Libya_and_nuclear_technology\"\u003eLibya's former nuclear program\u003c/a\u003e.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-137\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-137\"\u003e[137]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-broad20110115_60-6\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-broad20110115-60\"\u003e[60]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e​\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSome have also cited several clues in the code such as a concealed reference to the word \u003cem\u003eMYRTUS\u003c/em\u003e, believed to refer to the \u003ca class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"Latin language\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latin_language\"\u003eLatin\u003c/a\u003e name \u003cem\u003e\u003ca class=\"extiw\" title=\"wikt:myrtus\" href=\"https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/myrtus\"\u003emyrtus\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/em\u003e of the \u003ca title=\"Myrtaceae\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myrtaceae\"\u003eMyrtle\u003c/a\u003e tree, which in Hebrew is called \u003cem\u003ehadassah\u003c/em\u003e. Hadassah was the birth name of the former Jewish queen of Persia, Queen \u003ca title=\"Esther\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esther\"\u003eEsther\u003c/a\u003e.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-MES_138-0\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-MES-138\"\u003e[138]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-139\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-139\"\u003e[139]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e However, it may be that the \"MYRTUS\" reference is simply a misinterpreted reference to \u003ca title=\"SCADA\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SCADA\"\u003eSCADA\u003c/a\u003e components known as \u003cem\u003eRTUs\u003c/em\u003e (Remote Terminal Units) and that this reference is actually \"My RTUs\"\u0026ndash;a management feature of SCADA.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-scada_rtus_140-0\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-scada_rtus-140\"\u003e[140]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e Also, the number 19790509 appears once in the code and may refer to the date \u003cem\u003e1979 May 09\u003c/em\u003e, the day \u003ca title=\"Habib Elghanian\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Habib_Elghanian\"\u003eHabib Elghanian\u003c/a\u003e, a Persian Jew, was executed in \u003ca title=\"Tehran\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tehran\"\u003eTehran\u003c/a\u003e.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-symantec_dossier_66-5\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-symantec_dossier-66\"\u003e[66]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-141\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-141\"\u003e[141]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-142\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-142\"\u003e[142]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e Another date that appears in the code is \"24 September 2007\", the day that Iran's president \u003ca title=\"Mahmoud Ahmadinejad\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahmoud_Ahmadinejad\"\u003eMahmoud Ahmadinejad\u003c/a\u003e spoke at \u003ca title=\"Columbia University\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbia_University\"\u003eColumbia University\u003c/a\u003e and made comments questioning the validity of the \u003ca class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"Holocaust\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holocaust\"\u003eHolocaust\u003c/a\u003e.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-gross201104_49-13\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-gross201104-49\"\u003e[49]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e​ Such data is not conclusive, since, as noted by Symantec, \"...attackers would have the natural desire to implicate another party\".\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-symantec_dossier_66-6\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-symantec_dossier-66\"\u003e[66]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003e\u003cspan id=\"United_States\" class=\"mw-headline\"\u003eUnited States\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere has also been testimony on the involvement of the United States and its collaboration with Israel,\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-us_143-0\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-us-143\"\u003e[143]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-144\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-144\"\u003e[144]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e with one report stating that \"there is vanishingly little doubt that [it] played a role in creating the worm.\"\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-gross201104_49-14\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-gross201104-49\"\u003e[49]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e​ It has been reported that the United States, under one of its most secret programs, initiated by the Bush administration and accelerated by the Obama administration,\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-145\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-145\"\u003e[145]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e has sought to destroy Iran's nuclear program by novel methods such as undermining Iranian computer systems. A \u003ca title=\"United States diplomatic cables leak\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_diplomatic_cables_leak\"\u003ediplomatic cable\u003c/a\u003e obtained by \u003ca title=\"WikiLeaks\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WikiLeaks\"\u003eWikiLeaks\u003c/a\u003e showed how the United States was advised to target Iran's nuclear abilities through 'covert sabotage'.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-146\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-146\"\u003e[146]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e A New York Times article as early as January 2009 credited a then unspecified program with preventing an Israeli military attack on Iran where some of the efforts focused on ways to destabilize the centrifuges.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-147\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-147\"\u003e[147]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e A \u003cem\u003e\u003ca title=\"Wired (magazine)\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wired_(magazine)\"\u003eWired\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/em\u003e article claimed that Stuxnet \"is believed to have been created by the United States\".\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-148\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-148\"\u003e[148]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe fact that John Bumgarner, a former intelligence officer and member of the United States Cyber-Consequences Unit (US-CCU), published an article prior to Stuxnet being discovered or deciphered, that outlined a strategic cyber strike on centrifuges\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-149\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-149\"\u003e[149]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e and suggests that cyber attacks are permissible against nation states which are operating uranium enrichment programs that violate international treaties gives some credibility to these claims. Bumgarner pointed out that the centrifuges used to process fuel for nuclear weapons are a key target for \u003cem\u003ecybertage\u003c/em\u003e operations and that they can be made to destroy themselves by manipulating their rotational speeds.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-150\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-150\"\u003e[150]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn a March 2012 interview with \u003cem\u003e\u003ca title=\"60 Minutes\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/60_Minutes\"\u003e60 Minutes\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/em\u003e, retired \u003ca class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"US Air Force\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/US_Air_Force\"\u003eUS Air Force\u003c/a\u003e General \u003ca title=\"Michael Hayden (general)\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Hayden_(general)\"\u003eMichael Hayden\u003c/a\u003e \u0026ndash; who served as director of both the \u003ca title=\"Central Intelligence Agency\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_Intelligence_Agency\"\u003eCentral Intelligence Agency\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca title=\"National Security Agency\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Security_Agency\"\u003eNational Security Agency\u003c/a\u003e \u0026ndash; while denying knowledge of who created Stuxnet said that he believed it had been \"a good idea\" but that it carried a downside in that it had legitimized the use of sophisticated cyber weapons designed to cause physical damage. Hayden said, \"There are those out there who can take a look at this... and maybe even attempt to turn it to their own purposes\". In the same report, Sean McGurk, a former cybersecurity official at the \u003ca class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"Department of Homeland Security\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Department_of_Homeland_Security\"\u003eDepartment of Homeland Security\u003c/a\u003e noted that the Stuxnet source code could now be downloaded online and modified to be directed at new target systems. Speaking of the Stuxnet creators, he said, \"They opened the box. They demonstrated the capability... It's not something that can be put back.\"\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-151\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-151\"\u003e[151]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003e\u003cspan id=\"Joint_effort_and_other_states_and_targets\" class=\"mw-headline\"\u003eJoint effort and other states and targets\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"mw-editsection\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"mw-editsection-bracket\"\u003e[\u003c/span\u003e\u003ca title=\"Edit section: Joint effort and other states and targets\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Stuxnet\u0026amp;action=edit\u0026amp;section=16\"\u003eedit source\u003c/a\u003e\u003cspan class=\"mw-editsection-bracket\"\u003e]\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn April 2011 Iranian government official Gholam Reza Jalali stated that an investigation had concluded that the United States and Israel were behind the Stuxnet attack.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-152\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-152\"\u003e[152]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e Frank Rieger stated that three European countries' intelligence agencies agreed that Stuxnet was a joint United States-Israel effort. The code for the Windows injector and the PLC payload differ in style, likely implying collaboration. Other experts believe that a US-Israel cooperation is unlikely because \"the level of trust between the two countries' intelligence and military establishments is not high.\"\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-gross201104_49-15\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-gross201104-49\"\u003e[49]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e​\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA Wired magazine article about US General \u003ca title=\"Keith B. Alexander\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keith_B._Alexander\"\u003eKeith B. Alexander\u003c/a\u003e stated: \"And he and his cyber warriors have already launched their first attack. The cyber weapon that came to be known as Stuxnet was created and built by the NSA in partnership with the CIA and Israeli intelligence in the mid-2000s.\"\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-153\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-153\"\u003e[153]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca title=\"China\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/China\"\u003eChina\u003c/a\u003e,\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-154\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-154\"\u003e[154]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e \u003ca title=\"Jordan\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jordan\"\u003eJordan\u003c/a\u003e, and \u003ca title=\"France\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/France\"\u003eFrance\u003c/a\u003e are other possibilities, and Siemens may have also participated.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-gross201104_49-16\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-gross201104-49\"\u003e[49]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e​\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-us_143-1\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-us-143\"\u003e[143]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e​ Langner speculated that the infection may have spread from USB drives belonging to Russian contractors since the Iranian targets were not accessible via the Internet.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-RewritingPlaybook_32-4\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-RewritingPlaybook-32\"\u003e[32]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-155\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-155\"\u003e[155]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e In 2019 it was reported that an Iranian mole working for the Dutch intelligence at the behest of Israel and the CIA inserted the Stuxnet virus with a USB flash drive or convinced another person working at the Natanz facility to do so.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-156\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-156\"\u003e[156]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-157\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-157\"\u003e[157]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSandro Gaycken from the \u003ca class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"Free University Berlin\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_University_Berlin\"\u003eFree University Berlin\u003c/a\u003e argued that the attack on Iran was a ruse to distract from Stuxnet's real purpose. According to him, its broad dissemination in more than 100,000 industrial plants worldwide suggests a field test of a cyber weapon in different security cultures, testing their preparedness, resilience, and reactions, all highly valuable information for a cyberwar unit.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-158\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-158\"\u003e[158]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe \u003ca title=\"United Kingdom\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom\"\u003eUnited Kingdom\u003c/a\u003e has denied involvement in the worm's creation.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-grauniad_159-0\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-grauniad-159\"\u003e[159]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca title=\"Stratfor\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stratfor\"\u003eStratfor\u003c/a\u003e Documents released by WikiLeaks suggest that the International Security Firm 'Stratfor' believe that Israel is behind Stuxnet \u0026ndash; \"But we can't assume that because they did Stuxnet that they are capable of doing this blast as well\".\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-160\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-160\"\u003e[160]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn July 2013, \u003ca title=\"Edward Snowden\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Snowden\"\u003eEdward Snowden\u003c/a\u003e claimed that Stuxnet was cooperatively developed by the United States and \u003ca title=\"Israel\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel\"\u003eIsrael\u003c/a\u003e.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-161\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-161\"\u003e[161]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan id=\"Deployment_in_North_Korea\" class=\"mw-headline\"\u003eDeployment in North Korea\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAccording to a report by Reuters, the NSA also tried to sabotage \u003ca title=\"North Korea\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Korea\"\u003eNorth Korea\u003c/a\u003e's \u003ca title=\"North Korea and weapons of mass destruction\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Korea_and_weapons_of_mass_destruction\"\u003enuclear program\u003c/a\u003e using a version of Stuxnet. The operation was reportedly launched in tandem with the attack that targeted Iranian centrifuges in 2009\u0026ndash;10. The North Korean nuclear program shares many similarities with the Iranian, both having been developed with technology transferred by Pakistani nuclear scientist \u003ca class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"A.Q. Khan\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A.Q._Khan\"\u003eA.Q. Khan\u003c/a\u003e. The effort failed, however, because North Korea's extreme secrecy and isolation made it impossible to introduce Stuxnet into the nuclear facility.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-162\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-162\"\u003e[162]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan id=\"Stuxnet_2.0_cyberattack\" class=\"mw-headline\"\u003eStuxnet 2.0 cyberattack\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGholamreza Jalali, Iran's chief of the National Passive Defence Organisation (NPDO), claims that his country fended off a Stuxnet-like attack targeting the country's telecom infrastructure. Iran's Telecommunications minister Mohammad-Javad Azari Jahromi has since accused Israel of orchestrating the attack. Iran plans to sue Israel through International Court of Justice (ICJ) and is also willing to launch a retaliation attack if Israel does not desist.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-163\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-163\"\u003e[163]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\u003cspan id=\"Related_malware\" class=\"mw-headline\"\u003eRelated malware\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan id=\".22Stuxnet.27s_Secret_Twin.22\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan id=\"\u0026quot;Stuxnet's_Secret_Twin\u0026quot;\" class=\"mw-headline\"\u003e\"Stuxnet's Secret Twin\"\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"mw-editsection\"\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA November 2013 article\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-164\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-164\"\u003e[164]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e in Foreign Policy magazine claims existence of an earlier, much more sophisticated attack on the centrifuge complex at Natanz, focused on increasing centrifuge failure rate over a long time period by stealthily inducing uranium hexafluoride gas overpressure incidents. This malware was capable of spreading only by being physically installed, probably by previously contaminated field equipment used by contractors working on Siemens control systems within the complex. It is not clear whether this attack attempt was successful, but it being followed by a different, simpler and more conventional attack is indicative.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan id=\"Duqu\" class=\"mw-headline\"\u003eDuqu\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"hatnote navigation-not-searchable\" role=\"note\"\u003eMain article: \u003ca title=\"Duqu\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duqu\"\u003eDuqu\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOn 1 September 2011, a new worm was found, thought to be related to Stuxnet. The Laboratory of Cryptography and System Security (CrySyS) of the \u003ca title=\"Budapest University of Technology and Economics\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Budapest_University_of_Technology_and_Economics\"\u003eBudapest University of Technology and Economics\u003c/a\u003e analyzed the malware, naming the threat \u003cstrong\u003eDuqu\u003c/strong\u003e.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-165\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-165\"\u003e[165]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-166\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-166\"\u003e[166]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e \u003ca title=\"NortonLifeLock\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NortonLifeLock\"\u003eSymantec\u003c/a\u003e, based on this report, continued the analysis of the threat, calling it \"nearly identical to Stuxnet, but with a completely different purpose\", and published a detailed technical paper.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-167\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-167\"\u003e[167]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e The main component used in Duqu is designed to capture information\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-SonsOfStuxnet_61-2\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-SonsOfStuxnet-61\"\u003e[61]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e such as keystrokes and system information. The exfiltrated data may be used to enable a future Stuxnet-like attack. On 28 December 2011, Kaspersky Lab's director of global research and analysis spoke to Reuters about recent research results showing that the platform Stuxnet and Duqu both originated in 2007, and is being referred to as Tilded due to the ~d at the beginning of the file names. Also uncovered in this research was the possibility for three more variants based on the Tilded platform.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-168\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-168\"\u003e[168]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan id=\"Flame\" class=\"mw-headline\"\u003eFlame\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"hatnote navigation-not-searchable\" role=\"note\"\u003eMain article: \u003ca title=\"Flame (malware)\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flame_(malware)\"\u003eFlame (malware)\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn May 2012, the new malware \"Flame\" was found, thought to be related to Stuxnet.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-Zetter_169-0\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-Zetter-169\"\u003e[169]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e Researchers named the program \"Flame\" after the name of one of its modules.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-Zetter_169-1\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-Zetter-169\"\u003e[169]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e After analysing the code of Flame, Kaspersky Lab said that there is a strong relationship between Flame and Stuxnet. An early version of Stuxnet contained code to propagate infections via USB drives that is nearly identical to a Flame module that exploits the same vulnerability.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-170\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-170\"\u003e[170]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan id=\"Targeting_military_command.2C_control.2C_communications_and_intelligence\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan id=\"Targeting_military_command,_control,_communications_and_intelligence\" class=\"mw-headline\"\u003eTargeting military command, control, communications and intelligence\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"mw-editsection\"\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFormer U.S. \u003ca class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"Secretary of Defense\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secretary_of_Defense\"\u003eSecretary of Defense\u003c/a\u003e \u003ca class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"William J. Perry\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_J._Perry\"\u003eWilliam J. Perry\u003c/a\u003e and Tom Z. Collina, Director of Policy at the \u003ca title=\"Ploughshares Fund\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ploughshares_Fund\"\u003ePloughshares Fund\u003c/a\u003e, wrote that there are thousand and maybe millions of attacks each day on the U.S. military's use of the internet and similar DoD-only communications. If a cybersecurity attack on any nuclear-weapon state does what the U.S. and Israel reportedly did to Iran with Stuxnet, it could convince the leaders of that country that they were being attacked with nuclear weapons when they weren't. This could lead them to start a nuclear war by mistake, believing that they could lose the ability to respond appropriately if they waited for more information.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-171\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-171\"\u003e[171]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf the country targeted with such a cybersecurity attack were India or Pakistan, the resulting nuclear war would likely produce a nuclear autumn during which roughly a quarter of humanity, most of whom were not directly impacted by nuclear explosions, could starve to death if they did not die of something else sooner.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-172\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-172\"\u003e[172]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e If the United States, Russia or China (or maybe even the United Kingdom or France) experienced such a cybersecurity attack, the resulting nuclear war would likely produce a \u003ca title=\"Nuclear winter\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_winter\"\u003enuclear winter\u003c/a\u003e, during which 98 percent of humanity would die of starvation if they did not succumb to something else sooner.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-173\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-173\"\u003e[173]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003csup class=\"noprint Inline-Template\" style=\"white-space: nowrap;\"\u003e[\u003cem\u003e\u003ca title=\"Wikipedia:Writing better articles\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Writing_better_articles#Stay_on_topic\"\u003e\u003cspan title=\"The material near this tag may contain information that is not relevant to the article's main topic. (December 2020)\"\u003erelevant?\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/em\u003e]\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePerry and Collina also noted that a nuclear war by accident is much more likely than Russia launching a first strike on the United States. They claimed that the world's major nuclear arsenals are focusing on the wrong problem. They cited several sources to support this claim including a GAO study that found that many advanced weapon systems in the U.S. use commercial and free software without changing the default passwords. Hackers working for the GAO were able to penetrate DoD systems undetected in part using default passwords found on the internet.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-174\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#cite_note-174\"\u003e[174]\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003csup class=\"noprint Inline-Template\" style=\"white-space: nowrap;\"\u003e[\u003cem\u003e\u003ca title=\"Wikipedia:Writing better ar","project_url":"https://awesome.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/projects/github.com%2Furaninite%2Fstuxnet","html_url":"https://awesome.ecosyste.ms/projects/github.com%2Furaninite%2Fstuxnet","lists_url":"https://awesome.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/projects/github.com%2Furaninite%2Fstuxnet/lists"}