A Monumental Screw-up
Two articles from The Economist on the power insecure software allocates to aggressors (even sloppy ones):
"Much of the discussion of cyberwar has focused on the potential for a “digital Pearl Harbour”, in which a country’s power grids and other critical infrastructure are disabled by attackers. Many such systems are isolated from the internet for security reasons. Stuxnet, which exploits flaws in Microsoft Windows to spread on to stand-alone systems via USB memory sticks, shows they are more vulnerable than most people thought."
"The use of such “zero-day vulnerabilities” by viruses is not unusual. But Stuxnet can exploit four entirely different ones in order to worm its way into a system. These holes are so valuable that hackers would not normally use four of them in a single attack. Whoever created Stuxnet did just that to boost its chances. "
The real meaning of Stuxnet is this: you will never again see this type of a Class A, Top-tier Screw Up from an aggressor...especially from a nation-backed sponsor if such innuendo is to be believed. Far from "amazing," as this malware is oft described, this was a operational fumble. The makers of Stuxnet were sloppy; punishments should quickly follow.
That said, Stuxnet was beta...newer versions, victims will likely never discover.
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