Terrorists could use Stuxnet Super Virus, warn cyber security experts

LONDON - The Stuxnet super virus which disrupted Iran’s nuclear programme earlier this year has been traded on the black market and could be used by terrorists, senior cyber-security figures have warned.

According to Sky News, they said the worm - the first to have been used to damage targets in the real world - could be used to attack any physical target that relies on computers.

The list of vulnerable installations is almost endless - they include power stations, food distribution networks, hospitals, traffic lights and even dams.

A senior IT security source said: “We have hard evidence that the virus is in the hands of bad guys - we can’t say any more than that but these people are highly motivated and highly skilled with a lot of money behind them.”

Will Gilpin, an IT security consultant to the UK Government, added that with it: “You could shut down the police 999 system.You could shut down hospital systems and equipment. You could shut down power stations, you could shut down the transport network across the United Kingdom.”

There has been a steady rise in cyber attacks in recent years. Now experts warn that the West is extremely vulnerable to similar attacks by criminal gangs seeking blackmail payouts or more likely by terrorist groups.

Experts say a more co-ordinated effort is needed to tackle attacks, along the lines of the Cyber Command agency set up in the US this year. (ANI)