Stuxnet: The Cyber Weapon That Destroyed Iran's Nuclear Program

[@disgruntledtoons]

One thing that was touched on really needs emphasis: The Iranian nuclear program managers had wisely adopted one of the most effective defenses against cyberattack: Their systems were not connected to the Internet, and it required what is effectively inside assistance to even begin to attack that system. Whenever I read about a security breach of any system, my first question is always, "Why was this connected to the Internet at all?" Many compromised systems did not require Internet connectivity in order to accomplish their official purposes.

[@pitchforkpeasant6219]

For some things governments (politicians) require things to be connected to the internet so they have access to all the information. And they call the people paranoid🤦

[@n0tepad]

What I don't understand is how this story went from "airgap" to "stuxnet reported back its findings" and "it infected other machines on the internet" HUH???

[@Visiopod]

@@pitchforkpeasant6219 You don't need the internet to gain access to all information. Just a data center with no internet connection and a code scanner that only works with the fingerprints of the politicians in office. They could even have this data center in the parliament and having touch screens linked up to it in every meeting room, without ever requiring the internet. You can also set up a LAN that isn't connected to the internet, if you want to make short range wireless connection true. LAN is just Local Area Network and can totally be done without using the World Wide Web aka the internet. Whenever you don't have an internet connection, you usually do have a LAN connection, meaning you should have access to your LAN, just not the WWW, so if you have a local NAS, you can still connect to that. You just cant connect to anything outside your home, as you only have a LAN connection and not a WWW connection.

[@flagmichael]

@@pitchforkpeasant6219 That could hardly be more wrong. FERC rules in the USA require they NOT be connected to the world outside the Physically Secure Perimeter except through a very tightly managed manual interface controlled by vetted staff. Serious fines (hundreds of thousands for individuals, tens of millions for companies that are lax) and prison time for individuals awaits those who violate CIP rules. When I worked in bulk electric power we had nearly an entire day of CIP training and testing every year.

[@Snaproll47518]

Air-gapped computers can fall victim to hacking through sophisticated techniques that leverage physical access, electromagnetic signals, and even sound waves.

[@CubensisEnjoyer]

Been studying cybersecurity for several years and working as a Security Analyst some of that time as well, so I'm all too familiar with Stuxnet, but I will never get tired of hearing this story. Stuxnet was truly a monumental achievement (for someone at least) and a total game changer in terms of how offensive cyber operations were viewed. One of my favorite case studies that I constantly return to in my career, I still gain new insights every time I do so. Happy to say that Warographics did the story justice! And the crazy part is this video is just the tip of the "Stuxnet lore" iceberg.🤯

[@goosenotmaverick1156]

Have you heard the podcast from Jack Rhysider called "Darknet Diaries"? I assume you likely have, but that's a good one on it too if you haven't had a listen. (Good podcast in general too, IMO)

[@CubensisEnjoyer]

@@goosenotmaverick1156 That was pretty much the spark for why I got into cybersecurity, Stuxnet was the first episode I listened to after the Silk Road ones. After that it was set in stone. I owe a lot to Jack Rhysider for giving us Darknet Diaries 🙂

[@motianton]

Hes a topguy, thanks for reminding me abt him ​@@goosenotmaverick1156

[@mastpg]

You misspelled "Israeli counter intelligence in conjunction with a joint NSA-CIA team".

[@jeebusk]

only one joint? ​@@mastpg

[@SirSpenace]

I learned about Stuxnet back in 2011 when I was taking a Cybercrimes course in Ireland. I remember being blown away by how smart of a program it was.

[@jochn919]

In 2011 that's when Israelis used Stuxnet on Fukushima plant.

[@windowsill9724]

@@jochn919no

[@hammerr]

Took less than 20 people too

[@Frost640]

@@jochn919 Did you miss the part of history when a god damn earthquake and tsunami hit Japan?

[@patrickbrinkmeier1858]

@@Frost640 ...He doesn't care about facts or the truth...Just a typical troll.

[@jasonjacoby]

The virus didn't just require a USB stick, it could embed itself on devices that used the USB port. Seriously one of the smartest weapons I've ever seen.

[@theredboneking]

Used on the Fukushima nuclear plant as well.

[@freedombro]

​@@theredbonekingsource ? 🤔

[@theredboneking]

@@freedombro FUKUSHIMA: 10 reasons our planet is doomed (2018)

[@theredboneking]

@@freedombro #8

[@theredboneking]

Number eight on the list.

[@LeviThomass]

As a computer science student, this stuff is fascinating to me. I found a video about Stuxnet recently and had been wanting a video from you breaking it down ever since!

[@CheekyMenace]

Watch, Zero Days.

[@JonnyMack33]

Yeah course you did

[@LeviThomass]

@@JonnyMack33what’s that supposed to mean?

[@d4Rk42]

Read or listen to "Countdown to Zero Day" (audio)book 😊

[@mikemichaelson120]

He gets a lot of stuff small stuff wrong in this video

[@mikeyhendri]

For the ones asking. Stuxnet dit copy itself on usb drives. Once the plc are updated, the virus send files to the drive, and if that drive is connected to a computer that is connected to the internet it sends data back. No plant is compledley airgapped. Just the most importand machines

[@hgv1883]

A very reasonable explanation thanks 👍🍻

[@sebastianbenner977]

But why airgap anything at all, if that machine is connected to a device which isn't airgapped?

[@fofopads4450]

@@sebastianbenner977 because is a flawed air gap system

[@LuLeBe]

@@sebastianbenner977it wouldn’t be directly connected to it, but a thumb drive for example would eventually need to be used to install a software update or transfer some data.

[@robertroy1878]

You answered my question before I could ask it.

[@concadium]

I highly recomment reading "To kill a centrifuge" by Langner, it is their version of the Stuxnet analysis and covers the whole operation in a lot of detail.

[@rubyruby7573]

You Should Listen To The Song "spin spin sugar" Because That Was The Situation Inside That Facility

[@Calebgoblin]

I remember being told about this as a cautionary tale of the dangers of picking up random USB sticks

[@sketch6995]

I found one in a parking lot a few days ago.....I sandboxxed the hell out of it and found......porn

[@jimjackson4256]

What? i pickup random usb sticks all the time and stick them into all my computers.

[@devalue7064]

Unless you are working with classified information, chances of getting virus from a USB stick would be the same as getting it from the internet

[@williamstidham7704]

@jimjackson4256 Same. Never know, might be a crypto wallet on there with millions, or perhaps some zesty nudie pics.

[@sibusisondlovu9516]

@@jimjackson4256 Oops!

[@christianlibertarian5488]

I remember when Stuxnet was first revealed. I concluded at the time that either the US or Israel had to have done it, based on who had motivation and ability. Turns out, it wasn’t “either”, it was “and”.

[@LeRouxshnikov]

It's normally 'and'.

[@irflashrex]

Beware of the USB stick in the parking lot.

[@MrBsir390]

FlipperZero used by Mossad.

[@mookie2637]

Thjis is a very simplistic account. Firstly, it seems to ignore entirely the straightforward point that the Natanz centrigues were entirely interconnected by a pressure detection system, also controlled by PLCs, which would take individual centriguges offline if they were found to be an issue (bear in mind that we are talking about very small pressure differences). This probably required not only the possession of P1 centrifuges, but a much higher level of testing in which multiple P1s were actually connected by an automated overpressure system, which may actually have used uranium hexafluouride. This pressure system was how the first attack probably damaged the centrigues; and was actually quite difficult to detect. This first attack may not have involved Israel. And secondly this account also seemingly ignores the point that there was distinctly more than one attack - using differnt techniques, in which different actors were involved. The second, for example, was the one that actually went after the rotor PLCs. And the "leak" referred to may have been the worm looking for serial numbers of specific Siemens PLCs.

[@olfrygt]

It's an half-hour youtube video. It's bound to be simplistic. The details you added where left out for good reason.

[@JackaWilko]

Bruh

[@skroopynoopers3642]

☝️🤓

[@UrMomsSuperRichEx]

If you don’t mind explaining to regular people what any of this is, then maybe you should do your own video.

[@derekmarsden8934]

I don't think it's quite as simple as that !

[@MrTexasDan]

The Stuxnet operation crosses the line into art. So elegant and clever.

[@MrTexasDan]

@@removechan10298 Really? Do tell.

[@charleswomack2166]

I absolutely love how Simon uses his voice to keep everyone on the edge of their seat.

[@tardis2005]

Thanks, Simon. I learned about Stuxnet in the 2008-ish time frame when I read Kaspersky's early reports. A brilliant move. Up until then, we all believed our PLC's to be invulnerable to viruses. And, they are, but the software used to communicate with PLC'S is not. I'm not a hacker but I do automation, sometimes with PLC'S. It was an important lesson.

[@ignitionfrn2223]

1:45 - Chapter 1 - The timeline 18:55 - Chapter 2 - The unsolvable equation ; fanny , flame & flowershop 22:00 - Chapter 3 - The future

[@JonMidtan]

The script is usually very tight on here. 'An existential crisis to their existence' The exception that proves the rule.

[@removechan10298]

what are the first 20 words of this video?

[@lisaschuster686]

I heard that too, but it’s nothing compared to the usual KZbin mistakes.

[@SavageDragon999]

If Natanz was truly airgap, how could the virus send information back to the US?

[@night_light2867]

There are ways an app can use any piece of wire as a transmitter same as how phones use headphone jack as radio antennas and there are many more ways

[@jacko101]

Exactly what I was thinking...!

[@SavageDragon999]

@@night_light2867 This crucial piece of information should've been addressed in the video in depth because without a way to transmit information, it's useless.

[@d_n_u]

Do y'all have any video recs on the topic, did a quick search but found nothing :(

[@THE-X-Force]

OTHER computers that were infected sent information back. Not the air-gapped ones.

[@ZechsMerquise195]

I remember when news of Stuxnet first appeared. I was studying IT at the time and didn't really grasp the enormous possible consequences. Some people I studied with, and who had a lot more experience, were terrified. Some thought it might spell the end of the internet.

[@armlegx]

I think $300M/year of delay is actually decent. In comparison to a "new bomb" which would need its own research and development and a bespoke production line for a limited number of bombs and it looks like maybe a wash.

[@Rootiga]

Exactly my thoughts, conventional weapons always cost significantly more in R&D (not to mention the cost of physical resources as well)

[@Upgraydde-yo-pitch]

Lmao it literally propelled there nuclear program forward dramatically… you can see this if you research into the zero day exploit… they also moved there program underground so far that they can’t be hit by any us bombs

[@landlubbber]

Worth noting that we actually don't know just how effective the Stuxnet development was, since it's possible that many techniques and maybe other zero-days are still in use in other attacks around the world.

[@revcor632]

We don’t “know” nearly as much as this video suggests… it relies pretty heavily on one questionable article as its “source”

[@DanielSmith-lv5ed]

What they need to build is a digital arena somewhere where all the best powers are, thataway, if anyone does comendeer a system it will be one seperate out in the desert with really big diodes. With fuses on both sides. Test dummy type stuff so as to absorb the blow. Another thing, giving a cpu system, human status ie ssn,bc,dl, but then sanctioning it by the finance dept! Lol Itd be official Lol itd work

[@torinnbalasar6774]

The story I had originally heard about how Stuxnet infiltrated the facility was a usb drive dropped in the parking lot. Had no idea it was a long-term program with two-way communication rather than a single attack destroying the centrifuges. The description I was aware of had claimed that the worm cloned parts of itself onto more usb drives to carry it back out of the facility in order to reach an internet-connected device it could deliver a "job complete" message through, but if it was able to receive updates regularly, there was clearly a more reliable communication method established that breached the air-gapped nature of the network.

[@alperenozturk9235]

I believe there is still a classified part of HUMINT work on the background.

[@ftffighter]

I've always wondered if the high rate of the centerfuges caused vibrations that could be felt outside somehow and those vibrations were the transmission?

[@Cumdown]

​@@ftffighterwhat is the receiver in this case?

[@nicknickels7951]

😂 🆒 interesting...

[@FlyWithFitz81]

Not to be confused with Suxnet, the.... other way to make things blow.

[@CrackheadArsonist]

😂😂😂

[@warthunder-mf8nv]

rofl

[@BonShula]

@@CrackheadArsonist What is that PFP? Igor

[@dieselgoinham]

Can I purchase this software for my wife?

[@marilynlucero9363]

You win the internet for the day. Congratulations.

[@yanikq]

Usually a religious Warographics listener, but rolled my eyes on the release of this stuxnet episode. So didn't listen to it immediately but I'm grateful for "the algorithm" sneaking it into the autoplay-list. I thought I already knew everything there was to know but then Mr. Whistler's team goes and unearthed the Dutch connection. Well done, well done 👏

[@bitmau5]

I remember when this happened. I also vividly remember, how at the time, my work place was full of PLC's. I was very tech minded and a lot of access to things that I probably shouldn't have. Stuxnet was some scary stuff, for the potential havoc it could wreak on just about any company, anywhere with a PLC. It just made me realize how exposed we are when it comes to hardware security.

[@Bobbias]

Especially since it was (and often still is) rare for companies to take PLC security that seriously. It's also frustrating that many PLC manufacturers like to hid behind obscurity as security rather than keep information out in the open so it can be properly audited by people who actually care about security.

[@charlesdada6434]

Um, what's a PLC?

[@Bobbias]

@@charlesdada6434 Programmable Logic Controller. It's a small industrial PC which is designed to interface with industrial sensors and equipment. Typically the only IO they have built in is some kind of networking, and either built in digital logic (usually at 24 volts) or some way to interface with external logic cards. They may have analog IO available, and they often have extension modules that can add significantly more IO. They're often programmed using Ladder Logic, or other simplified programming languages. PLCs don't typically run a standard OS, but instead run the user's code more or less directly. This is because they need to be able to react to changes in the inputs extremely fast. Most of the time the way they work is highly proprietary, and because they are very spplication specific, few people outside of industrial process and controls know anything at all about them. Many of the people programming them are either electricians or electrical engineers (or are self taught from elsewhere in some company) rather than computer programmers.

[@flagmichael]

@@charlesdada6434 Programmable Logic Controller. It is a generic controller with a bunch of inputs and outputs. The programming is what makes it work in all sorts of devices: street lights, water treatment, lighting in a building of any size... if you have read or seen "I, Robot" you get the idea.

[@Matze-c1j]

I had to write a report on this when I was taking cybersecurity classes. Definition of a watershed moment.

[@Matze-c1j]

@@rosem7889 wa·ter·shed /ˈwôdərˌSHed,ˈwädərˌSHed/ noun noun: watershed; plural noun: watersheds 1. an area or ridge of land that separates waters flowing to different rivers, basins, or seas. an area or region drained by a river, river system, or other body of water. 2. an event or period marking a turning point in a course of action or state of affairs. "these works mark a watershed in the history of music" Thanks, Google!

[@Cumdown]

Watershed is (and I start with this as I find it interesting) the catchment area of rivers, streams, lakes. The line between each catchment area is rather definitive, hence its use. A watershed moment refers to a deep change in thinking, approach, direction, of how one thinks about something. Hope the above helps ❤

[@harku123]

​@@rosem7889 watershed moment means an important point in history that would change the future

[@ZeSgtSchultz]

​@@harku123I wonder if the first watershed moment was the flood after the ice age?

[@pitchforkpeasant6219]

@@harku123like destroying a facility in iran? During obama? It happened

[@jfk4229]

Working with PLC's daily I can assure you they are some of the biggest cybersecurity nightmares. Because uptime is very much preferred over cybersecurity. Even if you know about issues, you cant deploy them cause uptime.

[@dizefx]

Zero Days is a nice documentary about this. Some NSA whistleblowers say their part too, undercover ofc. Strongly recommend it.

[@davidhawley1132]

I'd heard part of this before, but this video put it all together. Good job.

[@ratchet2505]

The most scary part, most maleare is sitting dormant waiting for an action command to start attacking. We haven't even had the first real spark yet.

[@scheikundeiscool4086]

I do wonder if this fact is something that is stopping nuclear war. Because all sides are now scared that their own weapons are compimised and an attack might backfire.

[@antoy384]

@@scheikundeiscool4086Given that the average programmer on Stuxnet wasn’t better than the average consultant (the only genius was bought by the mass of developers working on it), I can’t imagine what a missile infested with viruses from all nations would look like. Indeed, no one would be able to launch it.

[@revcor632]

What makes you think that “most malware” is like this..?

[@tomlxyz]

I'm wondering how much of this type of malware like Stuxnet is out there that is already doing its work but doing it so slowly that it doesn't get detected. Like imagine attacking a company or a whole country in a way that they become just slightly too inefficient to still run profitable/having GDP growth. Kinda like killing someone with a slow acting poison so it looks they just died of an illness

[@m2heavyindustries378]

Man couldn't even spell 'malware' properly with the help of spellcheck and cut and paste, it's likely just some edgy teen on his family computer

[@Vicarious_Heart]

Stuxnet is gonna need a sequel soon.

[@mcboat3467]

And it would be used on apartheid state of Israel

[@Sam_Guevenne]

It's called Pegasus

[@ymtzlgn]

@@mcboat3467lol keep dreaming

[@freedombro]

Israel is NOT an apartheid state. South africa has no moral ground to stand on ​@mcboat3467

[@willyvereb]

​@@freedombro Lot of people are blind to the complete insanity which is going on South Africa. They kill tens of thousands in violent activities even though they don't have an active war in a tiny region constraining 2 millions to the size of Las Vegas to worry about. There are a lot of terrible things going on there and Gazan needs more help than ever. I just wonder where had been these outcries and protests when other countries used poison gas against minorities, interred an entire population into rape camps or stole all children to re-educate them to another culture. It's easy to blame a minority culture which has good standing with the West and is put against a billion Arabs. It is apparently much harder to actually call out evil deeds done by the side which keeps funneling them all the money to embezzle...

[@omegcrash]

very well laid out wish I could share more about the late 90's early 00s but you guys are so over target wonderful video

[@apexcrypto01]

Honestly it's incredible this operation was pulled off. It's refreshing to see the US protrayed so competent. Fu*k anyone who was against this. This is truly bad ass.

[@theforsakeen177]

it got out of hand though when it infected thousands of other computers outside iran.

[@bmxerkrantz]

imagine what is being done even more competently.... as in enough to not get caught...

[@andersjjensen]

Uh, not having a fail safe against widespread "release" was not exactly competent. Imagine what would have happened if it had ended up in, say, a nuclear power plant, and found Siemens PLCs, and then blindly just treating what was connected to those PLCs as if they were centrifuges. PLCs don't have something like USB Discovery where you can see what's connected to them. They're just dumb "switch boxes" where you need to understand the wiring to be able to understand the code running on them. It was advanced, bold, risky and fairly competent. But I'd really like a video of the meeting where someone went "Uh... why the FUCK can this thing spread like wild fire WHILE NOT being capable of removing itself without a trance if it finds itself on Aunt Gerda's freaking laptop?!?"

[@SeanZ1L]

$1b cost for a 3-4 year delay in Iran’s nuclear capability, small bit of a waste of hard working taxpayer money if you ask me but i’m no expect in these matters, neither was the government it seems

[@hypno5690]

​@@SeanZ1Lyeah you're really not an expert. Not much of a layman either tbh.

[@klti0815]

There's a great documentary by Alex Gibney called "Zero Days" about it, that looks at it more as the story of discovery and reverse engineering what it actually does. This was a wild time blowing everyones minds about what is really out there. Also, te fact that they found and essentially burned 4 Windows zero days is wild, a no interaction Windows zero day is incredibly hard to find, and worth millions on the open market for these kind of things. Though it probably helped that Windows licensing deals for the military and the likes have included access to the source code for years.

[@tungteo1190]

Thanks

[@PopPhyzzle]

aaaaah I love the 80's action movie one liners at the end of your videos.

[@DerNiederlander]

This man has like 1 million channels and is pumping out videos on all of them almost everyday. He is everywhere

[@altf2o]

Do you know what I’d pay to hear a deep dive, TED talk from the programmers of this? That would be incredible!

[@chelulehillary6266]

Watching this from Lebanon.

[@nolongerblocked6210]

Everyone likes to think only China or Russia has high quality hackers, the truth is the US has the best hackers in the world(TOA)... to go along with the best military equipment in the world

[@mill2712]

The reason we don't hear about it is because... 1. We aren't trying to mess with the common company or citizenry in those countries. 2. The best attacks are the ones they don't know about. 3. If those countries know they got hit, they aren't telling that they got hit.

[@DanSoloha]

Our equipment is overpriced and over sophisticated - it relies too heavily on technology, which is highly prone to electronic warfare/ jamming, as seen in Ukraine Edit: some of our equipment, I should clarify; systems like HIMARS and Javelin, for example, have proven highly effective

[@santman3200]

@@DanSoloha Ovepriced sure, over sophisticated fuck no. Literally non of the high end equipement has been given to ukraine so I don't know what you are yapping about with elecotrninc warfare.

[@dianapennepacker6854]

​@@DanSolohaThe things Russia has jammed only partially jammed it. A lot of them have back ups like interial navigation which has improved. Remember we give them hand me downs. Or could be taken out quickly when used with weapons the US has but Ukraine does not in great numbers. Like aircraft and harm missiles. Those bombs and shells were less accurate, but still much more accurate than dumb fire munitions.

[@noahgray543]

​@DanSoloha oh look, one of the "Reformers." We've been hearing this since the F-16 and it proved you guys wrong hard. Go play with rocks, luddite.

[@Anno_Nymous]

@10:55 is incorrect, there is no way to send back a blueprint map if the system is air gapped. My guess is that malware might have mapped the internal "network", but in finishing it would deliver the payload(s), another option is that the map was downloaded later of shortly after the initial breach ( again physical access with a USB ), but it seems unlikely.

[@dat_asian_dude]

Check out Zero Days. It's a documentary style movie about Stuxnet. And there is also a book: Countdown to Zero Day

[@serenity749]

I actually requested a deep dive into this on Simons reddit. I'm so happy someone took it up!!! I was thinking Casual Criminalist or Dark Shadows, but it actually makes more sense in Warographics. It is truly shocking to me how little people know about this, much less how under reported it was. I feel like cyber warfare took such a huge leap forward from this event, and I can only find a little content related to it. It's shocking. Scary. The future of cyber warfare is terrifying to me. Hope this video helps to spread awareness. I would have liked to hear this in a free format though. Still, awesome video. Great content!!!!!!!!!!!

[@petertimowreef9085]

10:50 how the heck did the program contact it's creators if the facility's system was totally isolated? If it broadcasted a signal, how come the Iranians didn't pick up on it?

[@CarlTSpeak]

It didn't. Airgapped. Was exfiltrated from site.

[@petertimowreef9085]

@@CarlTSpeak Excuse my ignorance but I still don't understand. At 10:57 he says stuxnet "would send this map back to the programmers". What method of data transfer did stuxnet use to communicate that information?

[@Arcomist]

​@@petertimowreef9085 As I understand it, if a copy of a virus escaped the site with information (infected a device inside and got carried away to another with internet access) it will connect to the programers and then an updated virus could then again infect the facility

[@petertimowreef9085]

@@Arcomist Right, so the virus left the nuclear complex in a physical sense, on a thumb-drive or something?

[@patrickcarcamo622]

​@@petertimowreef9085Correct, on any device that was infected.

[@BrandonQ1995]

I remember all the talk about Russia's cyber warfare capabilities on the lead up to its invasion of Ukraine. Ended up falling flat. As much as the complexity of viruses are growing, it seems our capabilities in fighting them are as well. Or, Russia just sucks at cyber warfare.

[@tom.m]

I haven't kept up with it, but they did a lot in the early days. News reporters were struggling to do their job as any PC connected to Ukrainian internet got hacked. Many of them ended up sharing a single laptop with a satellite connection.

[@theforsakeen177]

don't you hear on the news everyday how china has already stolen even IP or data in the US that can be reached digitally? And russia don't steal as much but they are widely suspected to be the ones behind the shadow broker group, as their cyber capabilities are second only to the US.

[@StephenWest-t2v]

And Russia has prioritized going after the weakest part of every computer on Earth...the user.

[@tomlxyz]

I assume to some degree they don't want to take everything down but rather use it to spy. If nothing works it won't get new input which could be strategically useful information

[@Hillary4SupremeRuler]

Yes...they hacked the Clinton Campaign with a regular old gmail password reset phishing link ​@@StephenWest-t2v

[@duke6961]

Keep up with these informative and entertaining videos.

[@Akmt96]

I love recommending the book Sandworm to people that are curious about this stuff. It largely covers this same story but with more little details

[@yungbeetroot]

So glad my country is extremely involved in the hypothetical nuclear programs of foreign nations and not our own dying economy

[@zainuddinbrahim4625]

I am aware of that malware back in 2005 too..when i was doing work for a programming company

[@aftbit]

11:00 I don't quite get that. If the network was airgapped, how would the virus exfiltrate information to the US or get updates?

[@Pepesilvia267]

You can send data through power outlets or maybe use some piece of equipment to generate radio waves. I’ll bet the facility had phones or fax or something that wasn’t for the internet but did allow communication to the outside world. If you had something consistent like power line voltage or water pressure you could use changes in that as binary. Basically stuxnet could control some secondary system as communication if something simple like phone lines or RF wasn’t available. Heck let’s get crazy. It could hijack an exterior camera and watch for smoke signals sent by a spy elsewhere in the country and could hijack a lamp post to flicker on and off to transmit. The possibilities are endless if you are creative enough and the virus has control of enough systems.

[@keefymckeefface8330]

@@Pepesilvia267 or it just waits for someone working there to get careless and charge their phone.

[@henrychinaski846]

Simon, you're an incredibly great presenter! While watching this video I thought of the work and dedication of the author/writer! You have a great staff! They deserve more attention! Thank you for your great work!

[@melchiel4413]

Much as there was once an age of pike and shot, we are now in the age of drones and hackers. It would be wise to be the first to adopt them skillfully.

[@jaybee9269]

Cyber commands already exist.

[@ljt3084]

Except the CIA didn't use it wisely and aside from attacking a country the western powers always like to paint as an aggressor, Stuxnet threatened a lot of computer services globally including the British NHS at the time.

[@kameronjones7139]

​@@jaybee9269 yeah dude is a good 20-30 years behind

[@jishani1]

If you think we're not still in an age of pike and shot look into the defense minister in the UK suggesting a draft and stating they're not prepared to defend themselves against Russian aggression.

[@kameronjones7139]

@@jishani1 that is the uk

[@MerwinWren]

IT/OT systems are hard to update anyway because of their complexity. A single bug could destroy part of the ICS or create hazardous conditions inside the plant. This explains why many systems use obsolete operating systems or code.

[@chingading957]

Fascinating video. Please do more on cybersecurity

[@KylerAntalek]

That was the best video I’ve ever seen on KZbin. Absolutely fascinating.

[@stuartrobb673]

It was introduced by encoding every single hard disk manufactured by western digital and seagate at the point of manufacture. That’s how I’d do it

[@stuartrobb673]

SIS. I’m available for weddings and bar mitzvahs

[@Btstaz]

If it was air gapped and someone had to physically introduce Stuxnet , after the 11 min mark you talk about Stuxnet sending back facility design and layout as well as then being able to updated Stuexnet remotely. You can't have both an Air gapped system and remote update capabilities.

[@oedihamijok6504]

Stuxnet = High-Tier Pegasus = Ultra-High-Tier Operation Triangulation = God tier

[@TrashPandaPirate]

Its fascinating to learn that for once a spy died relatively shortly after performing their duties, and zero foul play was found

[@SuperNesus]

What a throwback! Clicked as soon as i saw that name!!!

[@burgerdan4936]

The book: 'Countdown to Zero Day' does a great job chronicling this cyberattack.

[@tjr3357]

So I have watched a few of your videos, and while I have liked them, I also didn’t really know the subject matter. This one I did, and out of curiosity, I looked and noticed you followed the Wikipedia page on this subject pretty closely/exactly. You have good presentation, and for those unfamiliar with the various subjects you cover, these are great videos. It would be cool to see deeper dives with some independent research, alternate sources, etc.

[@pitchforkpeasant6219]

“Zero Days”. A documentary

[@pitchforkpeasant6219]

Wikipedia has become a bit manipulated biased in one direction. Its far from reliable these days. Been watching history being revised for over a decade and its just as bad. Almost fifty years of studying history just watching it change like night and day☹️

[@YTaccount11454]

how can they update the virus if the facility and its infrastructure was airgapped from the internet? did the worm magically assemble a wifi chip also? it sounds like something was missing here. or was the facility not truly airgapped but configured to null route internet traffic thus being connected to the internet and not fully airgapped?

[@jfraley80]

How did it phone home if the facility was air gapped?

[@eadweard.]

It leaked out.

[@bizichyld]

Stuxnet had to be brought in by thumb drive, yet it transmitted information and was updated remotely? How is this possible if Natanz was completely isolated?

[@theodorsonfors1391]

I've seen a few videos about stuxnet and I can tell you this is by far the one with the most work put in. Great job researchers.

[@fautedemieux21]

If that's the case... you haven't seen enough.

[@theodorsonfors1391]

@@fautedemieux21 Do you have any suggestions?

[@NinjaRunningWild]

14:57 It wasn't a bug in the code that caused Stuxnet to leak. Phase 3 of it was turned over to Unit 8200 who wanted it to be less subtle & more aggressive. They modified it to spread more rapidly which eventually led to its discovery. This is explained in the excellent documentary "Zero Days" on this entire discovery process & motivations of POG. Incidentally, it's worth noting that zero days sell anywhere from $250k to $500k on the black market, meaning that only a nation state can practically afford to make something like this. It's beyond the reach, financially speaking, of any lone hacker or hacker group.

[@imadeafunny2109]

I feel like Simon & Team is fast becoming my Walter Cronkite

[@Bozbaby103]

He (and co) and Beau of the Fifth Column are my go-tos.

[@johnemanuele8695]

The documentary "ZERO DAYS"..details this undertaking

[@THE-X-Force]

Has this ever been made into a movie? Because it should be.

[@dat_asian_dude]

It has. Check out Zero Days.

[@THE-X-Force]

@@dat_asian_dude Sweet .. thank you!

[@dat_asian_dude]

@@THE-X-Force anytime dude! Easiest way to watch it is on Max but I think youtube has it for like 5 bucks

[@TomG-f4r]

Do you tell the good story , or lie lie fib some and exaggerate ? Very goode ideas are hard to come by , how what happened right then , is a grande tale - best never told , they might use it against us , or we might need to do it to them , again . New habits new weaknesses , press on comrade!.. reelect Trotsky!

[@joyceperez5505]

EXCELLENT PRESENTATION. APPRECIATE YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND NOT BEING SLOW NOR STALE... ❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@matthew164]

Umm, how can it be updated remotely? Let alone get the data back If it was physically disconnected from the interwebs?

[@BravoOne1]

A backdoor could've been installed along with the virus or the virus was programmed to create a backdoor

[@evrythingis1]

Umm, you ever think it could get out the same way the virus got INTO the building ? Are you developmentally disabled?

[@evrythingis1]

@@BravoOne1 What is the point of this bot comment!?

[@Venser420]

I live 45min from INL (Idaho National Labs) had zero clue they were involved in this operation. That is pretty neat, I'll have to let a friend of mine who works there know.

[@pitchforkpeasant6219]

Anyone you know there at idaho labs ever work with a nuclear energy producing technology that used sodium as a coolant and the system could NOT melt down? The scientists working on it literally tried a melt down and could not do so. Clinton shut it down. Assume too much money from big oil was the motive

[@globaled1694]

mfs out here hacking nuclear powerplants meanwhile i cant remember how to unlock my phone

[@larkinwalton4360]

Fun fact: my buddy and I were the first strategic intel analysts to report on Stuxnet within the US intel community. When we questioned NSA what information hey he on attribution and origination we were told to “cease and desist”.

[@ThePieMaster219]

Huh, neat.

[@Kolor-kode]

Wasn't just Stuxnet, a whole slew of malware based on the Tilded platform , include Duqu and the star of the show, Stuxnet.

[@durivage1]

I love Business Blaze and probably watch those video's the most but it's video's like this that brought me into Simon's orbit in the first place and I'll always be a fan of. 🎉

[@sebastianbenner977]

I thought it was mentioned that the facility's computer systems were air-gapped. How then did Stuxnet communicate with US computer systems?

[@ronjon7942]

Wirelessly I suppose. Somehow. Maybe the malware patiently waited until it landed on a machine with a wireless adapter?

[@MehrLovin]

They also had someone on the inside. The NCRI group @Wargraphics cited but purposely avoided discussion on, is known more properly as the MEK and is a foreign backed, Iranian, militant and Marxist group. They renamed the group in the West and avoid discussion of it because they don't want the public to know who their unsavory partners in crime are.

[@recnepsgnitnarb6530]

There was a pipeline explosion in Siberia during the 80's that was attributed by exspionage and sabotage of the pump control systems used on the natural gas pipeline. I can't recall what the operation name was but I do remember it was implemented by using control chips that had been infected with "malware' used at the time.

[@SkyWolfPirate]

Yes thank you was watching old video on this the other day

[@scylla88shawn14]

Amazing Episode Simon 👏

[@Jp-ue8xz]

0d exploit when a normal third party found it = Remarkable investigation and skills used to find it 😎 "0d" exploit when the government finds it in big tech software = They just asked microshoft for their backdoors 😅

[@genehenson8851]

WTF!?!? I thought I knew all of Simon’s channels yet, somehow, here we are learning about war things, with Simon, on a new channel.

[@Mike-ls1uj]

Low key reassurance in regards to thier current situation

[@______6057]

You gave me flashback moments of the show Mr. Robot. I wonder if the writer took ideas from this hack. The scale of this on the super secure infrastructure. This is truely movie style stuff.

[@Votrae]

TIL "specialisms" is a word. Excellent writing and presentation as always!

[@bakibadjon544]

how did stucksnet connect to outside world if its closed system

[@jazdragen]

Simonverse spy stories continue 🎉🎉🎉

[@jesuschristisgod1692]

Can anyone explain @10:57 - 11:04, being without internet, with an air gap?

[@dh1380]

"An existential threat to its existence" I see 😅 IIRC it was also Dutch nuclear technology that was stolen by AQ Kahn, the world's most prolific illegal nuclear proliferator and guy who gave Pakistan the bomb.

[@JeepTJay6]

22:48 Holy shit! The algorithm just randomly dropped this in my feed last night. And the Iranian president goes down in a chopper this morning?!? WTF? 😮

[@Velnio_Išpera]

10:58 wait wait wait, how did this virus send the map of operations back us/israel if this plant was in isolation from world internet?

[@markharris1223]

For some reason, the sound quality of this item is not up to the usual very high standard.

[@notajetplane]

Wow. I had no idea about any of this. Neat.

[@Sam_Guevenne]

Look up the virus known as Pegasus (It's very very scary"

[@hashfors]

I still have the code in my pcie frame buffer on one of my mb’s, can’t get rid of it, it’s impressively annoying code

[@kennethnielsen3864]

Thanks for sharing.

[@hansencohen6615]

Simon is everywhere

[@74357175]

If the centrifuges were air-gapped to the rest of the Internet, how was Stuxnet able to communicate and update itself?

[@BonShula]

I am so thankful for Stuxnet so the Iran regime could not get any nuclear programs activated. Since the Shah's departure the country has been in turmoil

[@thefeof6161]

It set it back a few years, but worry not, iran will get its nuke

[@Dizzyruptor]

Iran is a product of our meddling.

[@markus3451]

The Sha was a tyrannical absolute monarch proped up by our freedom and democracy loving U.S. government hypocritocal disgusting

[@OmegaDenz96]

Watch the movie "Zero Days" years ago, and definitely got intrigue about this one.

[@pedzsan]

If the facility was air gapped, how did they get data and updates back and forth? Your explanation is critically flawed.