Cyber Warfare Takes Another Possible Leap Forward, Stuxnet Worm Infecting SCADA Systems and Hit’s Iranian Nuclear Facilities Hard

Updated on Monday, September 27, 2010 at 7:18PM by Keith Erwood

Many people (most security experts aside) who work with industrial SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) and PLC (Programmable Logic Controllers) systems have long considered these systems safe. In fact if you check the reference sources at the bottom, you will notice a recurring theme of, if you asked me if this was possible last week, I would have said no. I have personally had people tell me they are safe from these kinds of threats because they have multiple layers of firewall's and other "robust" cyber security in place. These people are wrong, and I hope this incident serves as a wakeup call to others who work with these systems everyday. Bottom line - All systems are vulnerable. A worm known as Stuxnet has infected systems from several countries including those of the United States, Indonesia, India, and Iran.

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Iran May Have Acquired S-300 Missile Defense Systems

According to unconfirmed reports Iran has purchased 4 S-300 (NATO designation, SA-10 Grumble) surface to air missile platforms, possibly in an effort to prevent a U.S. or Israeli air strike.

Though currently denying the allegations, Belarus is said to have supplied two of missile platforms and the other two come from an another as yet unknown source.

The report could be a ploy by the Iranians to delay or avoid an air strike, but if they do have the missile systems an air strike will be more difficult. Those difficulties aside the U.S. is still said to have a viable attack plan for Iran.

Though Belarus is denying the sale, Janes Defence Weekly reported as far back as January 2008 that they were in negotiations to purchase the S-300's from them.

Has Iran Revealed Its Desire To obtain Nuclear Weapons At Any Cost With the Release of a Book Written by Ayatollah Mezbah Yazdi

Many are convinced that Iran is seeking a nuclear weapon, myself included. Though Iran has denied that and state they are only developing technology to harness nuclear power for peaceful purposes. 

With the release of a book written by Ayatollah Mezbah Yazdi, a senior Iranian theological figure and President Ahmadinejad’s spiritual mentor in which he wrote: "Iran must independently produce 'the certain special kind of weapon' already in the hands of other countries."

The book was published in 2005 and gives some stunning insights and disclosure into how the Iranian leaders are pursuing nuclear weapons.

If you're still not yet convinced here are some quotes from the book:

"We have to produce the most advanced weapon inside the country, even if our enemies don't like it. There is no reason that they have the right to produce a certain special type of weapon, but that other countries not have that right" (The Islamic Revolution - Surges in Political Changes in History, p. 337).

"In seeking to acquire the [necessary] technology Iran must be patient and not be deterred by economic shortages: Divine, messianic support has been the determining factor in the success of the Iranian regime during the various trying periods which have plagued it since its foundation...We cannot be broken because of temporary difficulties, they will pass, and Muslims must be patient and not be deterred by material or economic shortages, because if they do, it may lead them to be separated from [Islam]."

 For more information on this story please visit ThreatsWatch.org and Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center

Ex-CIA Director Says Iran "Hell-Bent" On Getting Nuclear Weapon

In a recent article in which Newsmax interviewed Ex-CIA Director Hayden, he stated his worries about Iran developing a nuclear weapon.

Hayden, also stated that Iran seems "hell-bent" on obtaining the weapon. He goes on to say that this really worries him, and could destabilize the entire region.

Below is a video excerpt of the interview.

Iran Designed and Tested Components of Advanced Nuclear Warhead

Iran has secretly designed Nuclear Warhead so advanced that it is still being kept largely a secret in the U.S. and Britain.

What details have been released is that it uses a "two point implosion" and that they have tested components of this design.

This is the first claim that Iran has sought such advanced weaponry, which nuclear experts have called "breathtaking."

The IAEA has sent a dossier to Iran, asking for explanation on this and some other findings that are not known at this time.