Malware hits industrial equipment

[Lamplighter]

I'm posting this article about "malware" because experts are saying it was authored by a government, not some kid working in his basement.

BITS article

September 24, 2010, 8:41 pm
Malware Hits Computerized Industrial Equipment
By RIVA RICHMOND

The technology industry is being rattled by a quiet and sophisticated
malicious software program that has infiltrated factory computers.
The malware, known as Stuxnet, was discovered by VirusBlokAda,
<snip>in mid July, at least several months after its creation.

Security experts say Stuxnet attacked the software in specialized industrial control equipment
made by Siemens by exploiting a previously unknown hole in the Windows operating system.
The malware marks the first attack on critical industrial infrastructure
that sits at the foundation of modern economies.

Eric Chien, the technical director of Symantec Security Response,
a security software maker that has studied Stuxnet, said it appears
that the malware was created to attack an Iranian industrial facility.
Security experts say that it was likely staged by a government or
government-backed group, in light of the significant expertise
and resources required to create it.

“It’s impossible this was created by some teenager in his basement,”
Mr. Chien said. “The amount of resources and man hours to put this together,”
he said, show “it has to be something that was state originated.”