Ralph Langner: Cracking Stuxnet, a 21st-century cyber weapon

[Xipe Totec]

When first discovered in 2010, the Stuxnet computer worm posed a baffling puzzle. Beyond its unusually high level of sophistication loomed a more troubling mystery: its purpose. Ralph Langner and team helped crack the code that revealed this digital warhead's final target -- and its covert origins. In a fascinating look inside cyber-forensics, he explains how.

http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/ralph_langner_cracking_stuxnet_a_21st_century_cyberweapon.html

[Canuckistanian]

1. I thought it's purpose was well understood

It's meant to disrupt the SCADA control systems for the nuclear production facilities in Iran.

[Xipe Totec]

2. It is well understood now; in hindsight nt

[Canuckistanian]

3. Still, an interesting video n/t

[DCKit]

4. Some recognized it for what it was pretty damn early on, and were called conspiracy theorists. nt

[trumad]

5. Simply amazing code

and no doubt worked on by the USA

[Xipe Totec]

6. USA - That's the consensus

and the most benign interpretation.

Because, as the author says, if it was somebody else, we are thoroughly fucked.

Even if it was US, Pandora's box is now open, and it is only a matter of time before we reap what we have sown.

[TheWraith]

7. Why?

Do they not have computers elsewhere? Are there no qualified programmers in other countries opposed to Iran, such as Israel?

[trumad]

8. I work for a Network Security company here in the states...

One of the biggest in the world...

Take my word for it... The USA has the best resources and the coders in the world and this type of code would require that.

Is it possible for another country to pull this off.... sure... but the experts I talk to say it is very unlikely.