'Israel tested Stuxnet virus on Dimona plant'

Jerusalem Post ^ | 1/16/2011 | staff

[americanophile]

Report: Israel used centrifuges identical to those in Iran to test out worm that set Teheran's nuclear program years back; virus was authorized by Bush administration, rather than allow an Israeli attack. Israel tested the Stuxnet virus in Dimona, according to a Sunday report by The New York Times.

Israel reportedly has centrifuges that are identical to those at the Iranian nuclear site in Natanz, which were used to test the Stuxnet computer worm.

In 2008, the Times reported, German company Siemens cooperated with the Idaho National Laboratory, allowing it to identify problems in the comany's computer controllers, which are used in Iranian nuclear plants. The laboratory is part of the American Energy Department, which is responsible for nuclear weapons in the US.

The vulnerabilities identified in 2008 were used the following year by Stuxnet.

The Times' report explained how Stuxnet operates. First, it spun Iranian nuclear centrifuges out of control. It would also secretly record the daily routine at the nuuclear plant and play back the recording of a regular day to operators at the plant. This way, it would seem that the facility was operating correctly, while the centrifuges were being destroyed.

The Stuxnet virus enters computers through removable drives or through the internet. It then spreads to other computers and any drives that may be plugged into them. The virus searches for computers with Step 7, software that programs Siemens controllers. After a controller is infected, Stuxnet hides itself. After a few days, the virus speeds and slows motors in such a way that could damage them. At the same time, it sends out the false signals described above.

[saintgermaine]

When it comes to “Brains” the Israelis are hard to beat.......and difficult for Arabs or Persians to catch up. Lucky to have them......

[vette6387]

Pinch, your phone is ringing, it’s the Mossad!

[Uncle Miltie]

Thank you Hashem, George Bush and the Mossad!

[LibWhacker]

So, either the Iranians are morons and put their nuclear site on the web, or the Iranians are morons and left their USB ports and CD drives without security.

If you left your briefcase on the bus would you get it back? How about if you lost your wallet on the bus? The Israelis and Americans are perfectly aware of this.

So... on the day in question a dozen or more employees of the Iranian nuclear facility found wallets with pen drives in them while on the bus headed to work, or briefcases with pen drives in them, or just a pen drive all by itself on the floor of the bus.

Or maybe the drive was "lost" at the mosque near the nuclear facility. Or on the sidewalk.

An infected drive could've found its way into the facility in a thousand ways.

It would be very difficult to impossible to guard against all of these ways in which a removable drive with the Stuxnet virus on it could have gotten onto the grounds of the nuke plant.

In any event, no western agents would have to actually gain entrance into the facility and steal a drive and infect it.

At least, that was the gist of one article I read about it.

[lbryce]

Thanks for your comment! I must say, I am absolutely stunned, overwhelmed by it all, ingenious in its conception, creation but what really boggles the mind is the enormity of the logistical undertaking, masterfully executed, the envy of any James Bond caper.

The fury, the unmitigated vehemence that must rage within the Mullah-tocracy!! Not merely wreaking havoc within their prized pet project but just as satisfying is the utter humiliation that resonates throughout every nook and cranny of misbegotten Shi'ite-Land!

[Lazamataz]

Good Old New York Times.

Happily printung information to aid the enemy.

Some things never change.

[HiTech RedNeck]

A diskette marked “Naked Persian Girls” probably would have sufficed :-)

[300winmag]

I read that the Iranian nuclear network is totally air-gapped. However, they don't seem to have paid much attention to removable media.

The article said the virus was released outside of any government facility, and by now has probably infected millions of PCs in that part of the world. It won't do anything except reproduce itself, unless it finds itself inside the weapons private network. Then it gets busy.

The good guys just had to wait for someone to bring the infection inside. They probably "lost" a laptop or USB drive on a bus, and waited for someone to "find" it. Maybe they enhanced the bait with some files like "Best of Goats 2010 centerfolds, and 2011 calendar". Multiple infection sites would speed things up even more.

[americanophile]

I read that article too, about slowing down the centrifuges, and how it infiltrated the system, etc., it was fascinating.

[sheik yerbouty]

Yasher koach, Israel!(Well done!)

[VeniVidiVici]

Maybe we can license Stuxnet to hit the New York Times.

Nah. It would probably only make their writing better than it is now.

[spokeshave]

I read that article too, about slowing down the centrifuges, and how it infiltrated the system, etc., it was fascinating

Best part is that the virus recorded good data and sent it to the central control as "everything normal" while cycling the centrifuges up and down to destruction.

[americanophile]

I think this is it:
http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2010/11/26/secret-agent-crippled-irans-nuclear-ambitions/

[americanophile]

I recommend this article to you both on how it’s thought they did it, it’s exceptionally interesting:
http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2010/11/26/secret-agent-crippled-irans-nuclear-ambitions/

[harmonium]

Israel designs key elements for the OS.

What’s truly remarkable about this, if true, is that they designed a self attack on their own nuclear site. That’s ballsy.

[AzNASCARfan]

Was all this information that was already outed on wikileaks?? If not why are we reading this?? Interesting stuff, the main idea, I already assumed, but why are the enemies suspicions being confirmed and completely detailed on or off the record at this point in time?

[Fred Hayek]

As an industrial automation and systems integration professional (PLC and drives control background), I have my opinions on what specific devices were likely infected, infection vectors, however I decline to discuss it for the same reason you cite.

[PIF]

It won’t do anything except reproduce itself, unless it finds itself inside the weapons private network. Then it gets busy.

—

According to the article it will only “get busy” if it finds Siemens controllers working P-1 centifuges in a certain configuation, else it remains dormant. It is very specific, not gerneric, in its targeting.

[dennisw]

‘Israel tested Stuxnet virus on Dimona plant’ -— lol lol lol lol lol lol lol

Those evil crafty JewBoys —— ha ha ha ha ha ha ha

[PIF]

they designed a self attack on their own nuclear site.That’s ballsy.

—

Not so much. The P-1s centrifuges were from Lybia, but only the Israelis were able to make them work properly; others - from the same batch - at Livermore could not be made to work correctly. Had Livermore been as dedicated as the Israelis, the US P-1s would have been used.

Full article here and is a thread on FR:
Israel Tests on Worm Called Crucial in Iran Nuclear Delay
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/16/world/middleeast/16stuxnet.html