What did the Stuxnet Worm do?
According to reports, Stuxnet caused multiple machines at Iran’s Natanz uranium enrichment facility leading to burnout. Other groups customized the virus over time to target specific infrastructures such as water treatment plants, power plants, and gas pipes. Stuxnet was a multi-part infection that spread via USB sticks and through Microsoft Windows machines. The virus examined each infected PC for traces of Siemens software, which is used by industrial computers operating as PLCs to automate and monitor electromechanical equipment. After locating a PLC computer, the malware attack updated its code via the internet and started delivering damaging instructions to the electromechanical equipment that the PC controlled. At the same time, the virus provided misleading feedback to the main controller.
Stuxnet Attack
The Stuxnet attack, first discovered in 2010, is a complex and extremely powerful cyber tool that has fundamentally altered the field of cybersecurity and cyber warfare. It is widely recognized as one of the most sophisticated and significant cyberattacks in history.