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The Wired article on Stuxnet remains one of the best long-form stories I've ever read: https://www.wired.com/2011/07/how-digital-detectives-deciphered-stuxnet/

The Wired article on Stuxnet remains one of the best long-form stories I've ever read: https://www.wired.com/2011/07/how-digital-detectives-deciphered-stuxnet/ https://www.wired.com/2011/07/how-digital-detectives-deciphe... The criticism here seems to be mostly academic about not using the most advanced obfuscation while completely ignoring the actual objective and just how many obstacles were overcome. The mission used several 0-days and stolen signing keys to get into a secret foreign air-gapped nuclear arms laboratory under a deadline and ruin the machinery while it kept reporting everything was fine. I dont see how this is anything short of amazing.

kqr2 7y ago
Kim Zetter's article evolved into the book Countdown to Zero Day https://smile.amazon.com/Countdown-Zero-Day-Stuxnet-Digital/dp/0770436196/ https://smile.amazon.com/Countdown-Zero-Day-Stuxnet-Digital/...
- emilga 7y ago
  Here's a good documentary about Stuxnet as well: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGGxqjpka-U https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGGxqjpka-U
abbadadda 7y ago
Yeah this definitely read to me like a click bait title and article. The shortfalls seem trivial in the grand scheme of what was accomplished.
anaisbetts 7y ago
Yep, I worked in Windows Servicing at the time it came out, there were at least 4 separate completely unknown-at-the-time exploits in Stuxnet. They most likely stole the signing certs by dropping USB keys in an office park in Taiwan, all of the stolen certs were from companies which shared a particular parking lot
pharrington 7y ago
Yeah, with a headline like that, I was expecting an article about the international implications regarding why/how something like Stuxnet is even created and deployed in the first place. The technical merits of the operation are the absolute last thing to be embarrassed about.
- marcoseliziario 7y ago
  I don't understand. Do you really think that a military operation that avoided nuclear proliferation without killing a single human life or causing environmental damage is something to be ashamed of?
  - JetSpiegel 7y ago
    Obama et al did this by signing the JCPoA. No need for computer virus.
trash88 7y ago
Is anyone actually claiming it was a nuclear arms laboratory?

kqr2 7y ago

Kim Zetter's article evolved into the book Countdown to Zero Day https://smile.amazon.com/Countdown-Zero-Day-Stuxnet-Digital/dp/0770436196/ https://smile.amazon.com/Countdown-Zero-Day-Stuxnet-Digital/...

emilga 7y ago
Here's a good documentary about Stuxnet as well: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGGxqjpka-U https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGGxqjpka-U

abbadadda 7y ago

Yeah this definitely read to me like a click bait title and article. The shortfalls seem trivial in the grand scheme of what was accomplished.

anaisbetts 7y ago

Yep, I worked in Windows Servicing at the time it came out, there were at least 4 separate completely unknown-at-the-time exploits in Stuxnet. They most likely stole the signing certs by dropping USB keys in an office park in Taiwan, all of the stolen certs were from companies which shared a particular parking lot

pharrington 7y ago

Yeah, with a headline like that, I was expecting an article about the international implications regarding why/how something like Stuxnet is even created and deployed in the first place. The technical merits of the operation are the absolute last thing to be embarrassed about.

marcoseliziario 7y ago
I don't understand. Do you really think that a military operation that avoided nuclear proliferation without killing a single human life or causing environmental damage is something to be ashamed of?
- JetSpiegel 7y ago
  Obama et al did this by signing the JCPoA. No need for computer virus.

trash88 7y ago

Is anyone actually claiming it was a nuclear arms laboratory?