Zero Days (2016):A documentary focused on Stuxnet, a piece of self-replicating computer malware that the U.S. and Israel unleashed to destroy a key part of an Iranian nuclear facility, and which ultimately spread beyond its intended target.
Stuxnet is a computer worm that was originally aimed at Iran’s nuclear facilities and has since mutated and spread to other industrial and energy-producing facilities. The original Stuxnet malware attack targeted the programmable logic controllers (PLCs) used to automate machine processes.
It exploited a previously unknown Windows zero-day vulnerability to infect the targeted system and spread to other systems. The virus primarily targeted separators at uranium enrichment plants in Iran. However, cyber attackers have modified and adapted it over time to attack other facilities, such as power plants and gas pipelines. No country has officially acknowledged the development of Stuxnet, but it is widely believed that the United States and Israel co-developed the worm. Stuxnet was the first virus to physically destroy an infected device. The malware seriously sabotaged Iran’s nuclear program, but due to its aggressive nature, it inadvertently spread beyond Iran’s nuclear facilities. However, it did not cause any significant damage to external devices outside its original target area.
Stuxnet targets three system layers:
- Windows operating system
- Industrial software applications for Siemens PCS 7 and WinCC
- Programmable Logic Controller Siemens S7
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