Effects of Stuxnet Virus to Global Security. Research Paper.

Thesis Statement: Stuxnet virus has may lead to global destruction if it occurs on the weapon facilities.

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The virus inflates one computer and the virus is spread to the other computers where they share networks and USB drives. The worm becomes dangerous since it gain access of the program logic controller and the person who create it can be able to operate the nuclear facilities from where he/she is. The creators of this virus can therefore plan and execute a global attack which would cause loss of lives and destruction of properties. The virus may cause crippling of weapon facilities, water supplies, banks and, power plants.

Introduction

The paper is will try to carry out research on Stuxnet virus. Virus was not malicious as back in the 2000s, hackers were using simple malwares to control authorized computers. People were just crushing another machine to access AOL home page. In 2010 there was a change in the normal virus that faces a computer. A leading computer security firm called Kaspersky Lab which is located at Moscow carried out an analysis of the virus that nobody had ever seen. The lab discovered the virus was Stuxnet and it depends on an unwitting victim to install it. The virus was reproducing itself and it transfers through the network of a computer. The virus attacked the computers in three phases. The first step is targeting networks and Microsoft Windows machines and then, recurrently duplicating itself. Then it removes Siemens Step seven software. The software is also Windows-based and used to program industrial control systems that operate equipment, such as centrifuges. The last phase is compromising the logic controllers that are programmable. The final phase makes the virus creators to see all the process of the systems and how it operates. They could then launch an operation right from where they are and tear the centrifuges apart. The operation of the whole process would be in their hands.

Case study

Stuxnet Virus infiltrated and attacked Iranian fifteen facilities. The virus began and spread through USB drive that employees were sharing randomly. Natanz facility was a programmable logic controller where the virus started to spread. The virus was discovered in 2010 when the signs were detected in the computer system that were operating the nuclear facility. The virus was detected by the inspectors belonging to the International Atomic Energy Agency who went to Natanz facility and detected that a odd number of uranium enriching separators were breaking. The inspectors could not locate the cause of these failures at that time. In the year 2010, Belarus specialists analyzed Nataz computer systems since they wanted to know what was happening. The computer specialists discovered what was wrong with the Iranian computers. According to them there were malicious files on the Iranian computer systems. After continuous analysis eventually it has been discovered that these malicious files were the Stuxnet virus. The Iranian government has not come out clear to give the public more details about the consequences of Stuxnet virus attack of nuclear facilities nevertheless, 984 uranium enriching centrifuges. By the current approximations this constituted a thirty percent reduction in enrichment efficiency.

Research Questions

How does the stuxnet virus spread?

How does the virus damage the centrifuges?

How can Stuxnet virus lead to affect global insecuriety?

Theoretical framework

In 2010, the Uranium enrichment facility that is based in Natanz experienced strange problems occurring in the computers. The Iranian firm noted that the centrifuges were breaking one by one without a reasonable cause. The computers started switching on and off. The two problems were linked together. Sergey Ula