Stuxnet

Stuxnet is a computer worm that was discovered in 2010 and is considered to be the world's first real digital weapon. Targeting Iran's nuclear program and disrupting its centrifuges, this complex code is believed to be a joint operation between the United States and Israel.

60 Minutes: Stuxnet Computer Worm Opens Up New Era of Warfare

How did they crack the code and discover Stuxnet's intended target?




From Bullets to Megabytes

Why is Stuxnet so important?

Ralph Langner, the German computer security specialist credited with discovering Stuxnet, says it doesn't matter who created Duqu. The problem, he says, is that Stuxnet, in its bid to stop nuclear proliferation, may have sparked its own arms race.

"The first cyberwar weapon is comparable to the first nuclear weapon," he wrote in a blog post recently. "To build the first nuclear bomb, it took a genius like Oppenheimer and the resources of the Manhattan project. To copy the design, it requires just a bunch of engineers -- no genius needed.

(Source: http://www.cnn.com/2011/11/08/tech/iran-stuxnet/)

Discussion Questions:

1. Is Stuxnet an illegal act of cyber warfare?

2. Has Stuxnet created a cyber warfare arms race?

3. How could a similar virus be used against the United States?
4. Was the use of Stuxnet a good idea? Did its ability to slow down Iran's nuclear program outweigh the potential copying of the program by others?