U.S., Israel developed computer virus to slow Iranian nuclear efforts, officials say

The United States and Israel jointly developed a sophisticated computer virus nicknamed Flame that collected critical intelligence in preparation for cyber-sabotage attacks aimed at slowing Iran’s ability to develop a nuclear weapon, according to Western officials with knowledge of the effort.

The massive piece of malware was designed to secretly map Iran’s computer networks and monitor the computers of Iranian officials, sending back a steady stream of intelligence used to enable an ongoing cyberwarfare campaign, according to the officials.

The effort, involving the National Security Agency, the CIA and Israel’s military, has included the use of destructive software such as the so-called Stuxnet virus to cause malfunctions in Iran’s nuclear enrichment equipment.

The emerging details about Flame provide new clues about what is believed to be the first sustained campaign of cyber-sabotage against an adversary of the United States.

“This is about preparing the battlefield for another type of covert action,” said one former high-ranking U.S. intelligence official, who added that Flame and Stuxnet were elements of a broader assault that continues today. “Cyber collection against the Iranian program is way further down the road than this.”

Flame came to light last month after Iran detected a series of cyberattacks on its oil industry. The disruption was directed by Israel in a unilateral operation that apparently caught its U.S. partners offguard, according to several U.S. and Western officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity.

There had been speculation that the United States had a role in developing Flame, but the collaboration on the virus between Washington and Israel has not been previously confirmed. Commercial security researchers last week reported that Flame contained some of the same code as Stuxnet. Experts described the overlap as DNA-like evidence that the two sets of malware were parallel projects run by the same entity.

I think that we must expect this as a matter of course until the election. The leaks are aimed at Israel and clearly are aimed at undermining them as an ally.

The question is: Why?

If we look at this rationally, no one who wants to keep an ally or her supporters would violate the security like this. Therefore, it would be reasonable to assume that the administration wants to undermine its relationship with Israel.

And again: Why?

It is no secret that both the intelligence community, much of Europe and the entire middle east fantasizes of a world with no Israel. How better to weaken Israel’s defensibility than to expose her defenses and strengthen her enemies? Communists always think long term. This is a program. It has been developing for some time, since the day Obama walked into office.

The task was complex. He had to both placate certain defense and money interests while giving himself “plausible deniability” of any complicit involvement in the scheme. He had to look like he was supportive while systematically subverting Israel through a variety of proxies.

Now that Egypt and Syria are destabilized, Israel now must devote resources to the Sinai, Gaza, and the Golan Heights. Israeli military planners have already publicly stated they will see a war soon. As in 1967, it would be on multiple fronts, Russia will be providing tactical support while, just as Nixon did, we have a president who would withhold military aid to gain political advantage.

In 1967, Israel threatened nuclear war and Nixon (Kissinger) caved. Nixon was a pragmatist, Obama is a hard core idealogue, This war, if it were to occur, would not be a 7 day war.

My 2 cents....

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