http://www.geostrategy-direct.com/geostrategy-direct/secure/2011/05_04/1.asp
Iran nuke program hit by new virus; Earlier explosions tied to Stuxnet NICOSIA - Iran has reported a new computer virus attack after acknowledging significant damage last year from the Stuxnet computer worm that targeted nuclear facilities. "If it had not been confronted on time, much material damage and human loss could have been inflicted," Brig. Gen. Gholam Reza Jalali said. Jalali did not cite more than 30 explosions at Iranian energy facilities over the last six months. Some of these explosions, in which at least 10 people were killed, were believed linked to Stuxnet. An Iranian military official on April 25 reported an attack by a new computer virus that according to a report by the Washington Post was aimed at nuclear facilities. The new worm, called "Stars" by the Iranians, was described as an "espionage virus." "Fortunately, our young experts have been able to discover this virus and the Stars virus is now in the laboratory for more investigations," Jalai was quoted as saying. The general was identified as the commander of a military unit called Passive Defense and assigned to stop sabotage. "The particular characteristics of the Stars virus have been discovered," Jalali said. "The virus is congruous and harmonious with the [computer] system and in the initial phase it does minor damage and might be mistaken for some executive files of government organizations." Jalai also said the Stuxnet worm penetrated the nuclear energy facilities at Bushehr and Natanz, and was designed and sent by Israel and the United States. "Enemies have attacked industrial infrastructure and undermined industrial production through cyber attacks," Jalali said. "This was a hostile action against our country." In an interview with Iran's state-owned Irna news agency on April 16, Jalali said the spread of Stuxnet was stemmed by Iran. He said the halt of Stuxnet stopped lethal accidents. Jalali said Stuxnet was traced to the American state of Texas as well as Israel and facilitated by the German manufacturer Siemens, the first prime contractor of Bushehr. "Siemens should explain why and how it provided the enemies with the codes of the Scada software and paved the way for a cyber attack against us," Jalali said. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ -------------------------- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, discuss-os...@yahoogroups.com. -------------------------- Brooks Isoldi, editor biso...@intellnet.org http://www.intellnet.org Post message: osint@yahoogroups.com Subscribe: osint-subscr...@yahoogroups.com Unsubscribe: osint-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com *** FAIR USE NOTICE. This message contains copyrighted material whose use has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. OSINT, as a part of The Intelligence Network, is making it available without profit to OSINT YahooGroups members who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information in their efforts to advance the understanding of intelligence and law enforcement organizations, their activities, methods, techniques, human rights, civil liberties, social justice and other intelligence related issues, for non-profit research and educational purposes only. We believe that this constitutes a 'fair use' of the copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Law. If you wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use,' you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtmlYahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: osint-dig...@yahoogroups.com osint-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: osint-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
