Key computer systems inIranhave again come under attack from a powerful malware that was first unleashed three years ago by the United States andIsraelto thwart Tehrans plans to develop nuclear weapons.Iranian officials blamed the Christmas Day attacks, which targeted computer systems at a power plant and other industries, as well as a Culture Ministry information center, on American and Israeli hackers.
In 2009, the Stuxnet worm infiltrated computers operating Irans nuclear power program, resulting in uranium enrichment centrifuges spinning out of control and becoming damaged. The cyber attack reportedly set back the countrys clandestine effort to build a nuclear arsenal of weapons.
Stuxnet was developed under a covert U.S. program, according toThe New York Times.
The newspaper also reported that the December 25 attacks may have been in response to Iranian hackers going after computers inSaudi Arabias oil industry and some American banks a few months ago.
On December 31, the Iranian governmentclaimedthat during a six-day naval drill staged to show off new torpedoes, the Navys cyber defense group repelled a mock attack on its defensive computer network.
By ALLGOV
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