Does the STUXNET virus attack constitute an act of war?

Two key questions that still are not answered for me about the STUXNET virus:

- If this is what we know about, what is being developed now? Stuxnet is like showing what sort of weapon you have in the armoury - threatening that you could have a lot worse!

- Does this constitute war?

This virus has done the job of people going into Iran and disabling the machinary. So does this virus constitute war?

Debka seem to think so. If this attack happened against UK or USA, would we class this as an act of war?

If this attack happened against UK or USA, would we class this as an act of war?

I'm fairly sure the US recently issued a statement, that went something like if we are the victim of a cyber attack we are well within our rights to retaliate with a conventional response once the source has been identified. So hell yeah it's an act of war! This all depends on if the attack can somehow be traced. If not it would be as pointless and obscure as the war on terror. Pretty much like waging war on some ghosts.

I'll find the US administration statement and post it up.

reply to post by templar knight


Iran would need to be able to trace the virus back to source, then find out intent of programmer, then find out that persons political affiliations etc etc etc.

Far to easy for some "geek" to cop the blame.

So imho I don't think so

Pretty good routers article;

www.alertnet.org...

Found that statement too. May 2009, Air Force General Kevin Chilton, chief of US Strategic Command;

During a press briefing on Thursday, US Air Force General Kevin Chilton, who heads the US Strategic Command, said that top Pentagon advisors would not rule out a physical attack on any force that attacks the United States through the internet. Currently, the military's networks are probed thousands of times a day, but the goal of attackers seems to be espionage, not to take down critical networks, he told reporters.

www.theregister.co.uk...

"I don’t think you take anything off the table when you provide options to the president to decide," said Chilton, according to Stars and Stripes. "You don’t take any response options off the table from an attack on the United States of America. Why would we constrain ourselves on how we would respond?"

The US has refused to call hacking a act of war. I believe that is because of the amount of hacking and spying they do with partner nations involed in Echolan. If they bring computer attacks into the catergory of war then all nations would be at war with each other on a daily basis by that standard.

If you look at the traffic to the militaries classified websit DODIntellipedia you will find Tehran is the city that visits the site the most. Thats in Iran. So is that a act of war?

whois.domaintools.com...

Visitors by Country: United States 38.3%
India 10.3%
Great Britain (UK) 4.9%
Germany 2.6%
Malaysia 1.9%
Romania 1.6%
Visitors by City: Tehran 3.7%
Washington 3.6%
Los Angeles 2.2%
Atlanta 1.8%
New York 1.6%
San Diego 1.5%

www.dodtechipedia.mil...

YES!!!!!!!!


The gov't will claim its an "ACT OF WAR" against the American people and put up new "cyber patriot acts" which will destroy the internet as we know it.

Originally posted by CanadianDream420
YES!!!!!!!!


The gov't will claim its an "ACT OF WAR" against the American people and put up new "cyber patriot acts" which will destroy the internet as we know it.

Oh No ! ! ! ! Everyone will have to start buying paper porn...... THINK OF THE TREES ! ! ! !