

Stuxnet Worm Still Out of Control at Iran's Nuclear Sites - jackfoxy
http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2010/12/09/despite-iranian-claims-stuxnet-worm-causing-nuclear-havoc/

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meelash
This article is claiming they've been trying to get rid of a worm for months?
Why wouldn't they just format the computers and return to a previously backed
up state?

Secondly, if the government needed information on how to solve the problem and
didn't want to be detected, wouldn't they just send one or two of their top
people to research it and then tell everyone else? How does large traffic from
a certain country imply that the government is trying to find out how to
defeat the worm?

Very strange article. Almost surreal.

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cypherpunks01
I believe <i>somebody</i> just blew up one or two of their "top people". The
article seems to indicate the scientist who was killed was in charge of the
Stuxnet recovery.

Also, I'd bet fixing the whole plant's industrial control systems isn't as
simple as restoring from a backup. I imagine there can be a lot of
complexities such as the backup systems being infected, having to write custom
tools to detect and prevent future infections, etc.

Also, I'm curious, what are people's thoughts on the worm's authors? Is it
generally accepted to be Israeli-made, or are there some doubts about that? I
remembered reading something about a reference to Israeli in the code from
some anti-virus folks, not sure if that is actually true though. And I don't
personally think that the CIA / U.S. military is innovative or clever enough
to pull this off, but obviously that's just my opinion. Are there any other
candidates?

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redthrowaway
Likely a joint project, offered in return for one of the Israeli settlement
freezes of the last few years. The motorcycle bombings were clearly Mossad,
but the technical expertise, specifically the specs needed on the Siemens
products, would probably have come from the US.

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spudlyo
This whole affair feels like a cyberpunk action thriller. It's a bit spooky
that it's real.

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wccrawford
Sounds like a like of guessing, lies and FUD.

There's some activity from that general area, so the nuclear site must be
still infected? What kind of logic is that?

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stygianguest
Indeed, all conjecture, zero substance. Once more: don't expect serious
journalism from Fox News. Nevertheless, I can quite easily believe Teheran
lacks the technical knowhow to defend themselves. And given the large number
of involved parties (we were talking Siemens hardware), a clean room approach
won't work either.

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lwhi
+1 for highlighting lack of journalistic integrity at Fox News.

-1 for making a statement, that could quite happily be broadcast by Fox News ;)

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lwhi
i.e. speculative conjecture, and a generalisation based on cultural
assumptions: _I can quite easily believe Teheran lacks the technical knowhow
to defend themselves_.

(plus Teheran is a city and a region, not a nation state - it would have made
more sense to talk about Iran)

EDIT; I surrender, I saw the Fox logo, it's now very clear -> 'fair and
balanced' ;)

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jhamburger
Using the name of a capital city as shorthand for a central government is very
common and accepted

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lwhi
Sorry, I didn't realise. Previously, I'd only heard this kind of reference
made in 1950s war films.

Perhaps I'm wrong, I but I think it's foolish to dismiss a country's
capabilities without firm evidence. Much of the news media picks up on vague
themes, and often makes assumptions based on its own country's perceived
superiority. In my opinion, there's no good reason to duplicate their error.

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EGreg
Wow, and included motorcyclists with bombs. Move over James Bond. This is
2010.

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eli
Seems awfully speculative.

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obeattie
I hate to say it… but you do realize this is an article by Fox news right?
FOX.

