From CNN.com comes a story about a particular computer virus, called Stuxnet, that is creating new headaches, and is being called “the first directed cyber weapon”. Computerworld.com reports that over 30,000 Iranian computes have been infected with the virus, with perhaps the most noteworthy machines to have been infected being some of those at the “Bushehr nuclear reactor” facility. The virus is so advanced in its behavior, that Infosecurity-magazine.com reports industry insiders feel it is the work of a “well-funded, highly skilled attack team”. The team behind it could even be backed by an unknown government. The directed focus of the virus—specifically how it seems to attack industry based machinery and systems, specifically searching for nuclear facilities, and then affecting the controls and valves of actual machinery by altering the computer code which controls them—has many rightfully worried, though Informationweek.com states Iranian officials have claimed no major damage has been done. Of course, major damage could still be done, as the virus has a tendency to reappear.
This virus obviously poses a real threat, for if it can target specific systems at a nuclear power plant in Iran, it can be designed to do the same thing on American soil. This type of thing truly brings home for me how the “virtual” world can cross over into the “real” world. Instead of worrying about hackers compromising my bank or credit card company information, I now get to worry about them causing real, physical, damage on a horrific scale. This is also the type of event which will prompt lawmakers to adopt measures such as the internet wiretapping Professor Weisband posted. Indeed, I feel that such wiretapping is inevitable, unfortunately, and that it will one day be common place for everything we do online to be scrutinized by big brother. Although, I must admit, if it prevents a nuclear catastrophe such as might be capable with the Stuxnet virus, then I’d be o.k. with it. I wouldn’t like it, but I’d be o.k. with it—because the thought of a computer virus being able to cause a nuclear disaster is terrifying to me.
This virus obviously poses a real threat, for if it can target specific systems at a nuclear power plant in Iran, it can be designed to do the same thing on American soil. This type of thing truly brings home for me how the “virtual” world can cross over into the “real” world. Instead of worrying about hackers compromising my bank or credit card company information, I now get to worry about them causing real, physical, damage on a horrific scale. This is also the type of event which will prompt lawmakers to adopt measures such as the internet wiretapping Professor Weisband posted. Indeed, I feel that such wiretapping is inevitable, unfortunately, and that it will one day be common place for everything we do online to be scrutinized by big brother. Although, I must admit, if it prevents a nuclear catastrophe such as might be capable with the Stuxnet virus, then I’d be o.k. with it. I wouldn’t like it, but I’d be o.k. with it—because the thought of a computer virus being able to cause a nuclear disaster is terrifying to me.
Yes, Adam, there is always a trade-off. The question is always how much is the threat, and by creating ways to protect us and our national security, are we opening the door to many other unintended consequences, evil or not.
ReplyDeleteAnother thing to watch for is more tracking what other countries do means monitoring activities and being able to prevent anonymity in Cyberspace in order to "identify" the bad guys and where they are coming from...