The meaning of Stuxnet
A sophisticated “cyber-missile” highlights the potential—and limitations—of cyberwar
IT HAS been described as “amazing”, “groundbreaking” and “impressive” by computer-security specialists. The Stuxnet worm, a piece of software that infects industrial-control systems, is remarkable in many ways. Its unusual complexity suggests that it is the work of a team of well-funded experts, probably with the backing of a national government, rather than rogue hackers or cyber-criminals (see article). It is designed to infect a particular configuration of a particular type of industrial-control system—in other words, to disrupt the operation of a specific process or plant. The Stuxnet outbreak has been concentrated in Iran, which suggests that a nuclear facility in that country was the intended target.
This article appeared in the Leaders section of the print edition under the headline "The meaning of Stuxnet"
From the October 2nd 2010 edition
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