'Son of Stuxnet' hits European computer networks

'Son of Stuxnet' hits European computer networks

www.dw-world.de

Internet security firms have raised the specter of a new round of cyber warfare with last week's detection of the Duqu virus - a "relative" of last year's Stuxnet malware, which is thought to have slowed down at least one Iranian nuclear facility...

..."Duqu was carefully placed and can be controlled remotely...Its warhead is not aimed at the technology industry, it's being used to steal information, so it's more like industrial espionage," [said one expert].

(visit the link for the full news article)

The Duqu virus is a "relative" Stuxnet, a virus that "is thought to have slowed down at least one Iranian nuclear facility" last year, as the article puts it.

There is recognition of the difficulties of combatting this type of cyber warfare (if it can be called that). The new virus is thought to have infected several hundred systems and to be targeted and controllable remotely. Code similarities suggest the same origin as Stuxnet, which itself remains a controversial point (experts seem to be leaning to a US and/or Israeli source).

The new virus is different from Stuxnet in that it appears to be involved in information collection, rather than having the purpose of shutting something down, as with Stuxnet. So it appears somebody has inserted the new virus to specific corporate targets, where it was supposed to lurk, undiscovered, quietly sending info to...who? Any ideas?


www.dw-world.de
(visit the link for the full news article)

Maybe Iran created it as a false flag to attack its own nuclear facilities
so that they would be less scrutinized when they released the stuxnet 2.0 aka Stux Jr.
on other countries..

Disturbing to say the least, hopefully it does not attack our pc's

Well this report came about quicker than I thought, I posted in another thread a day or so ago about Duqu possibly being responsable for slowing Iran's nuclear plant down. It looks more like Duqu is just the scout party gathering information for something big, if they get enough info via Duqu's keylogging then a virus on a more developed version of Stuxnet armed with this information will be incredibly powerful and potentially very destructive.

Originally posted by silent thunder


The Duqu virus is a "relative" Stuxnet, a virus that "is thought to have slowed down at least one Iranian nuclear facility" last year, as the article puts it.

There is recognition of the difficulties of combatting this type of cyber warfare (if it can be called that). The new virus is thought to have infected several hundred systems and to be targeted and controllable remotely. Code similarities suggest the same origin as Stuxnet, which itself remains a controversial point (experts seem to be leaning to a US and/or Israeli source).

The new virus is different from Stuxnet in that it appears to be involved in information collection, rather than having the purpose of shutting something down, as with Stuxnet. So it appears somebody has inserted the new virus to specific corporate targets, where it was supposed to lurk, undiscovered, quietly sending info to...who? Any ideas?


www.dw-world.de
(visit the link for the full news article)

If it as truly an information gathering virus, them those that have been infected already know or have a good idea of who it is sending the stolen information back to.

Sorry to bang the drum again,
But......... Linux is 99.99 % immune from this stuff!!

Here is a list of first class easy to use distro's.

Give it a chance and like me you'll never go back
to Windoze.

Ubuntu
Kubuntu (I'm using this Now)
Open Suse
Linux Mint
Fedora
www.distrowatch

For all the most common Linux Distro's

Enjoy

I hope i convert at least on of you.

Originally posted by rigel4

Sorry to bang the drum again,
But......... Linux is 99.99 % immune from this stuff!!

Here is a list of first class easy to use distro's.

Give it a chance and like me you'll never go back
to Windoze.

Ubuntu
Kubuntu (I'm using this Now)
Open Suse
Linux Mint
Fedora
www.distrowatch

For all the most common Linux Distro's

Enjoy

I hope i convert at least on of you.

edit on 21-10-2011 by rigel4 because: (no reason given)

I have used a few Linux distros in my time and as a programmer I can tell you any OS no matter what the make is vulnerable to a talor made virus. Stuxnet and Duqu look like they are talor made viruses for industrial power stations so even if your home pc got infected with them weather it be windows, linux or any other os unless you run your own power station it wont effect you to much. Duqu might be a keylogger but am sure the makers of it are not after what joe blogs is doing on his home pc that info will more than likely be discarded.

But for what you are saying I agree Linux is alot safer than windows virus wise but it can be just as easy to hack a Linux machine as it is to hack a windows one using the right gathered information and tools no viruses needed.

Your right. I only meant that the present virus horde's are,
as you say mostly made for Windows.

But at the present time that leaves us just about in the clear

Long may this continue!

Originally posted by rigel4
Your right. I only meant that the present virus horde's are,
as you say mostly made for Windows.

But at the present time that leaves us just about in the clear

Long may this continue!

Ha ha yes these years from, well the start of the easy to use pc, have brought about a golden age of hacking and information gathering that in 10 to 20 years time will probably be non existant for alot of reasons, and we will look back and say "if only I knew what I know now back then, I could have found out so much more" I even find myself saying that now, but this is for another thread.

I wish I was smart enough to run a linux. A friend of mine tried to get me to use it about ten years ago. It was beyond me!

Anyway, the "Cyber Warfare" is getting more intriguing and scary by the day.

Anyone else notice the S.O.S.???: Son Of Stuxnet

Originally posted by nerdyclutzyblonde
I wish I was smart enough to run a linux. A friend of mine tried to get me to use it about ten years ago. It was beyond me!

Anyway, the "Cyber Warfare" is getting more intriguing and scary by the day.

Anyone else notice the S.O.S.???: Son Of Stuxnet

Hi, Ten Years ago, that was like a million years ago......... No kidding

Why don't you try again?, the best all round ones are:-

Linux Mint
Ubuntu
Kubuntu

I personally recommend Kubuntu 11.10

There are or two things that need to be installed once you get going, just add-ons like
flash, and some codecs, but it's easy. just have an open mind and forget what you know about Windows.

But as for Installation, NO brainier these days.

Good Luck

PS U2U me if you decide to do it and Install a Distro.

Looks like this story is gaining some traction...

And then there's this. Coincidence? Maybe. Or maybe not.

Sensitive information concerning vital defense equipment, such as fighter jets, as well as nuclear power plant design and safety plans, apparently was stolen from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. computers during a cyber-attack in August, sources said. An internal investigation found signs that the information had been transmitted outside the company’s computer network, with the strong possibility that an outsider was involved.

This is the first time that sources have acknowledged that defense and nuclear plant information may have leaked from Mitsubishi Heavy’s computers due to a computer virus, despite the company saying it had taken appropriate safeguard measures.

The computers were found to have been hacked in August, and 83 computers were found to have been infected with a virus. Those computers were spread out over 11 locations, including the Kobe and Nagasaki shipyards that construct submarines and destroyers as well as the Nagoya facility that is in charge of manufacturing a guided missile system....

...Sources said the nuclear plant information included data on nuclear plant design and nuclear equipment, as well as anti-quake measures...

Source:
ajw.asahi.com...