Stuxnet: Anatomy of a Computer Virus

It’s official: New York Times confirms that that immediately after entering office, Obama ordered the development of Stuxnet, a computer worm. Shortly its deployment, the government lost control of the worm, which targeted Iran’s nuclear facilities.

If you’re unfamiliar with Stuxnet, the video above, created by Patrick Clair, explains it pretty well. Using slick typography and motion graphics, “Anatomy of a Computer Virus” is an excellent primer on cyberwarfare – and a beautiful animation in its own right.

Welcome to the future.

6 Responses to “Stuxnet: Anatomy of a Computer Virus”

  1. Kompani Says:

    Agent Orange, Drones, Stuxnet, Americas dirty war. Blurs the line between state and terrorist, right and wrong.

  2. Really? Says:

    Oh, yes; because a newspaper says it, it must be true! 9.9

  3. Nadya Says:

    Um, yeah! Although the journalist did not name his sources, with a newspaper like NYT, I trust that sources were legit for this piece. Plus, this article merely confirms what most security researchers who have been dissecting Stuxnet have suggested for quite some time.

  4. Endif Says:

    All of the claims in this video are highly plausible.

  5. david Says:

    actually, after reading both articles, i assumed that the source for ars technica was the nyt article. it’s the only source it cites.

    there’s no point investing in conspiracy theories when there’s no hard evidence, but the scenario outlined here has always seemed the most likely explanation to me.

    so, of course the newspaper does not make it true, but as long as you keep an open mind and remember your ultimate ignorance, any model that fits the data is plausible. this story certainly seems likely.

  6. Andrea Says:

    Obama didn’t develop Stuxnet. Stuxnet is a derivative of Olympic Games developed and accidently released by the Isrealis.