Iran wins one, Almost

Iran wins one, Almost

It turns out Iran's paranoia is justified.

They search the world over for a cyber security

company, to run Computer security/forensics for its Nuclear 

facilities.

NO American or European cos.

The old Russian KGB network recommends

VirusBlokAda experienced in cyber
security headquartered in Belarus.

The sell a anti-virus program that they say

is very good on Malware.

But Iran wants their top level engineers,

hackers to check their PCs in the Nuclear

facilities. 

They had big problems with the previous

production from their program.

It was corrupted, impure, useless.

Running their product thru the centrifuges

destroyed them. And at the current level

the product isn't nuclear bomb material.

Iran took it out and effectively dumped it

and started all over.

Internet Anthropologist Think Tank: Iran Epic nuke fail?

Abberjonneys hench men couldn't pin 

the problem on any thing or person.

It just seemed to have been contaminated

thru some unknown method.

They even killed some scientists,

tortured some and threatened every

one else. 

Some ran for America's CIA.

And were welcomed. 

They determined it wasn't any of their

own people, that sabotaged the material.

To late for the ones they assassinated.

And the finger pointed to hacking.

Eventually they went to the Russians

for cyber forensics as they don't have 

this skill set at the level Iran needed in house.

For VirusBlokAda this was an important

but routine job. They have offices in 9 countries.

Mostly non-Western block.

They are trusted by the former Soviet block,

and do similar work on call for many of the 

other countries. Important because

if they do find something in Iran it will

put them on the Security Vendor map.

And trigger some nice Iranian bonuses for

corp and individuals.

They didn't find much in the computers,

and then some how got an ok and payment

to check the programmable controls for the

nuclear reactors.

And they hit it big.

They watched the OS lie to them,

detract code from programs they read,

and add code to programs they were

reinstalling.

And they found Stuxnet:
Mahmoud Alyaie told Mehr that the Iranian industrial control systems are made by Siemens and the Stuxnet is designed to attack exactly these systems and transfer classified data abroad.
An IT official of Iran's mines and metals ministry told the Mehr news agency that 30,000 computers belonging to industrial units have already been infected by the virus.

These guys are good and are tenacious.

But can they remove it and be sure?

What surprises await them.

Note they just discovered it, 

did not say they removed it.
ISNA news agency, however, reported that the Iranian Atomic Organization held a seminar this week to improve the organization's cyberdata, especially against Stuxnet, and 'explore ways to remove it.' THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO REMOVE IT, g

Target rich environment.

On September 22, Russia’s President Dmitry Medvedev signed a decree which bans deliveries of S-300 missile systems to Iran. Called “On Measures to Implement Resolution 1929 of June 9, 2010 of the UN Security Council,” the document prohibits any transit across Russia and the transfer to Iran of all types of combat tanks, armored personnel carriers, large-caliber artillery systems, warplanes, helicopter gunships, warships, missiles or missile systems as defined in the UN Register of Conventional Arms.

But it didn't ban cyber security services.

Hmmm.

Iran is considering replacing all 30,000 infected units.
That is probably the best way to go.
The Nuke program would be on hold for 2 yrs
during the replacements.
Or they can continue with USA watching everything in their nuke program.
Iran's nuke program is an open book to NSA.
This is why US has had such patience in negotiating with Iran. And how US has 
convinced Israel not to strike at Iran's
nuke reactors.
And note it took Ruskies to find it, the
regime couldn't do it.

Gerald

Tactical Internet Systems analyst.

Yes there are invisible persistent rootkits IPR

New war domain at work.

Quiz: who said "Trust but Verify" ? good for 3 pts. G

“new era of engagement” that is the trademark of Obama’s foreign policy. 
“Engagement” looks like this: Total Engagement...New def for
"Total Engagement"  ...tee hee G
Hats off to NSA. Salute. 

Update:


He also announced that a working group composed of representatives from the Communications and Information Technology Ministry, the Industries and Mines Ministry, and the Passive Defense Organization has been set up to find ways to combat the spyware. WELL IF ITS ONLY THE REGIMES EXPERTS WORKING ON THIS, IT WILL CONTINUE TO SPREAD. G

Communications and Information Technology Minister Reza Taqipour stated that Iranian engineers possess the expertise to create the required anti-virus software to clean the malware-infected systems. BUT THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE EXPERTISE TO FIND IT. g