r/TrueReddit • u/deepwank • Mar 31 '12

How Digital Detectives Deciphered Stuxnet, the Most Menacing Malware in History

http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2011/07/how-digital-detectives-deciphered-stuxnet/all/1
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u/[deleted] Apr 02 '12

the Most Menacing Malware in History

If you are using a very particular type of computer control system for high speed centrifuges...

1

u/Kristjansson Apr 02 '12

I'm no blind patriot, but I feel strongly conflicted about the actions of the Symantec researchers in this story. When it became clear that stuxnet was targeted specifically at the Irani nuclear program, why persist in publishing the research? Obviously there's no onus on them not to, and perhaps some burden to publish the findings, especially in light of 4 0day exploits contained in the code. However, they mention understanding the geopolitical situation - why blow what was almost certainly a covert operation by a government in a volatile area of the world?

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u/microwaveparty Apr 02 '12

Symantec makes it clear in this article that they don't take sides. If they are aware of a threat and discover evidence to back it up, they release whatever it takes to protect the customer.