Tweet

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Download MP3 (34:39)

---

Since it was first discovered back in June, the Stuxnet worm has garnered much attention worldwide. Militaries are fearful that the use of such a sophisticated virus heralds a new era in cyber-warfare. Politicians are using the worm as an excuse to pour money into cyber-defense programs. But amid all the hoopla, computer forensic experts and coders have been trying to answer the most basic questions about Stuxnet. What was it designed to do? How was it designed to spread? Who might have created it, and what were the intended targets. As you can see on the chart above, courtesy of the anti-virus firm Symantec, Iran would seem the likely target. The truth may be that the virus was even more targeted than that, and in this episode of The World’s Technology Podcast, you’ll hear about the in-depth forensic work that’s shedding new light on the worm. Below is a list of links you’ll find helpful if you want to go even deeper:

• Symantec’s Eric Chien on his latest findings
• More on the latest research into Stuxnet
• F-Secure FAQ on Stuxnet
• Reality check by security expert Bruce Schneier
• Iran denies Stuxnet disrupted its nuclear programme (BBC)

Also in this episode, you’ll get a fascinating and in-depth interview with one of the web’s most well-known and well-respected denizens…Joi Ito. It’s a fascinating look (listen, really) at where we’ve been online, and where we might be headed.

Remember, you can follow us on Twitter and Facebook.