How dangerous was and is Stuxnet really? The Associated Press claims to have insight into an unnamed secret service documents: According to the malicious software could cause a meltdown in Iran's nuclear facilities. The theory is highly controversial. It would be a nightmare scenario: In an Iranian nuclear facility, there is an incident, the matter gets out of control, eventually leads to a meltdown with the dimensions of the disaster at Chernobyl.
In April 1986, reactor in Ukraine exploded today as a result of a meltdown. The incident is one of the worst environmental disasters of all time. Just two weeks ago, the British daily "Daily Telegraph" reported on the basis of information from unnamed Western intelligence of the danger of such a nuclear accident in Iran's Bushehr reactor.
Now confirmed the news agency AP that warning. One of the Agency present intelligence report - compiled by a nation that monitors Iran's nuclear program closely "- claiming that denials and reassurances from the Iranian and Russian sides that there was no such danger, premature are and on a" casual assessment "based means it.
The risk is therefore even more of the malicious program from Stuxnet. The computer virus is to be brought from Israel with American help in circulation and had reportedly disrupted operations in the centrifuges Iran's nuclear facilities. So obviously there, the quality of processed uranium are reduced.
According to AP Stuxnet have also seized control computer and could also disrupt these programs. Therefore have passed at least the possibility that technicians would get when booting the Bushehr reactor in case of failure no error messages. It could thus lead to a meltdown in Chernobyl.
Supposedly, these problems are solved, the intelligence report cited by the AP, however, contradicts. Real danger - or disruptive propaganda? Such a scenario is not new. However, it was contested not only by Russian and Iranian officials, but also by independent IT professionals. The malicious routines of Stuxnet therefore aimed very precisely to the control equipment for centrifuges - and nothing else.
This includes but is not that the backdoor capabilities of a malicious software could not be used to attack other computers with other functions. The control computer of the nuclear plant itself but are not accessible from the Internet to declare Iranian and Russian officials. This would not prevent an update of the virus, the initial infection but not: Because the distribution channel ran from Stuxnet multiple fronts, including on USB sticks.
AP quotes therefore an expert from the International Atomic Energy Agency, which holds a controlling computer for possible infection. Russia's NATO envoy Dimitri Rogozin will also have confirmed that there was really such attack and the risk of major damage. But that was past, the systems are now safe again.
"The virus would have very serious consequences may result," said Rogozin, "he could have led to a second Chernobyl." Skepticism is still appropriate. Accordingly, expressed inter alia, the Hamburg-based IT security expert Ralph Langner, who was present in the autumn as one of the first detailed analysis of Stuxnet.
He explains that unlike Stuxnet claimed by the Iranian and Russian officials have seized computers quite well in Bushehr. The virus was not done to sabotage these systems: "A thermonuclear explosion can be caused by something not as Stuxnet." However, it could take up to a year to exempt any system of Stuxnet.
That within two weeks of each substance very similar information not be given to unnamed intelligence sources, is unusual. The allegations in the Daily Telegraph had done in one day for an official denial on the part of the Russian nuclear agency Rosatom. Russia cooperates with Iran in building the controversial nuclear plant.
Western intelligence agencies estimate that the Iranians could try to make the reactor up and running within a few months. Among other things, Russia has agreed to supply not only fuel but also to take the disposal of nuclear waste. This is to prevent Iran getting weapons-grade nuclear material in their hands.
In particular, the U.S. and Israel to observe the project with considerable suspicion, they would prevent the start of the reactor completely happy.
In April 1986, reactor in Ukraine exploded today as a result of a meltdown. The incident is one of the worst environmental disasters of all time. Just two weeks ago, the British daily "Daily Telegraph" reported on the basis of information from unnamed Western intelligence of the danger of such a nuclear accident in Iran's Bushehr reactor.
Now confirmed the news agency AP that warning. One of the Agency present intelligence report - compiled by a nation that monitors Iran's nuclear program closely "- claiming that denials and reassurances from the Iranian and Russian sides that there was no such danger, premature are and on a" casual assessment "based means it.
The risk is therefore even more of the malicious program from Stuxnet. The computer virus is to be brought from Israel with American help in circulation and had reportedly disrupted operations in the centrifuges Iran's nuclear facilities. So obviously there, the quality of processed uranium are reduced.
According to AP Stuxnet have also seized control computer and could also disrupt these programs. Therefore have passed at least the possibility that technicians would get when booting the Bushehr reactor in case of failure no error messages. It could thus lead to a meltdown in Chernobyl.
Supposedly, these problems are solved, the intelligence report cited by the AP, however, contradicts. Real danger - or disruptive propaganda? Such a scenario is not new. However, it was contested not only by Russian and Iranian officials, but also by independent IT professionals. The malicious routines of Stuxnet therefore aimed very precisely to the control equipment for centrifuges - and nothing else.
This includes but is not that the backdoor capabilities of a malicious software could not be used to attack other computers with other functions. The control computer of the nuclear plant itself but are not accessible from the Internet to declare Iranian and Russian officials. This would not prevent an update of the virus, the initial infection but not: Because the distribution channel ran from Stuxnet multiple fronts, including on USB sticks.
AP quotes therefore an expert from the International Atomic Energy Agency, which holds a controlling computer for possible infection. Russia's NATO envoy Dimitri Rogozin will also have confirmed that there was really such attack and the risk of major damage. But that was past, the systems are now safe again.
"The virus would have very serious consequences may result," said Rogozin, "he could have led to a second Chernobyl." Skepticism is still appropriate. Accordingly, expressed inter alia, the Hamburg-based IT security expert Ralph Langner, who was present in the autumn as one of the first detailed analysis of Stuxnet.
He explains that unlike Stuxnet claimed by the Iranian and Russian officials have seized computers quite well in Bushehr. The virus was not done to sabotage these systems: "A thermonuclear explosion can be caused by something not as Stuxnet." However, it could take up to a year to exempt any system of Stuxnet.
That within two weeks of each substance very similar information not be given to unnamed intelligence sources, is unusual. The allegations in the Daily Telegraph had done in one day for an official denial on the part of the Russian nuclear agency Rosatom. Russia cooperates with Iran in building the controversial nuclear plant.
Western intelligence agencies estimate that the Iranians could try to make the reactor up and running within a few months. Among other things, Russia has agreed to supply not only fuel but also to take the disposal of nuclear waste. This is to prevent Iran getting weapons-grade nuclear material in their hands.
In particular, the U.S. and Israel to observe the project with considerable suspicion, they would prevent the start of the reactor completely happy.
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