A computer virus of unprecedented complexity, with some incredible intelligence techniques, able to secretly record conversations was exposed, writes The Telegraph. The Middle East countries were, apparently, in its sight, and Iran has ordered an emergency inspection of the entire computer systems of the state, after the discovery of the cyber weapons, known by the codename “Flame”. Experts say this spy software is 20 times more powerful than any other weapon of cyber war, including Stuxnet virus, and could only be created by a state.
“This was not a teenager working in his dorm. It is complicated and dedicated to steal data, while remaining hidden for a long time,” said Professor Alan Woodward from the computing department of the University of Surrey. It is the third cyber attack aimed at systems in the Middle East. Iran accuses the West and Israel of orchestrating a secret war using these weapons for sabotage, assassinations targeting scientists as part of the dispute on its nuclear program. Computers from the Ministry of Petroleum of Iran were attacked early last month, and experts from Symantec announced Monday that “fingerprints” of the Flame virus were discovered. Nobody knows exactly what data were lost because the Iranian government has kept the press away from the incident.
Stuxnet virus attacked Iran’s nuclear program in 2010, while another related program, Duque, named after the villain in Star Wars, stole a lot of data. Flame can gather files, databases, can remotely change the settings on computers, can turn on microphones to record conversations, take screenshots and copy instant messaging chats. The most powerful virus was discovered by a security company in Russia, specialized in this field. Experts from Kaspersky Labs said that the program appears to have been launched five years ago and infected systems in Iran, Israel, Sudan, Syria, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and Egypt.
Professor Alan Woodward says that the virus is highly invasive. It can “suck” information, copying everything you type, and also the voices of people nearby. It contains about 20 times more code than Stuxnet, which attacked an Iranian uranium enrichment plant, resulting in shut down of centrifuges. Iran’s production of uranium has suffered a severe blow as a result of Stuxnet’s activities. Experts say there is evidence to suggest that this code was commissioned by the same nation that was behind Stuxnet and Duque.
Virus removal started in early May. It has not spread automatically, but only following a remote command. Flame entered the remote computer. The virus file that infects computers based on Microsoft Windows, has five encryption algorithms, special formats of data storage and the capacity to steal documents and spy on users. Eugene Kaspersky, founder of Kaspersky Lab, said “It took six months to figure out how Stuxnet works. Flame is 20 times more complicated”.
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