Press Release -- Experts to consider \'Hack of the Century\' as talks gear up for leading London cyber event

1. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
STUXNET TO BE ANALYZED AT CYBER WARFARE
CONFERENCE
Experts to consider 'Hack of the Century' as talks gear up for leading London
cyber event
September 28 2010 – London, UK – The emergence of the 'Stuxnet Worm', a
Windows-based malware program designed to upset and reprogram large-scale
industrial computer systems, is being described by experts as the first recognised
'cyber weapon'.
Where most cases of malware attacks have been motivated by financial reward or
general disruption, Stuxnet has been clearly designed to target critical
infrastructure. The worm operates through external Programmable Logic
Controllers (PLCs), meaning that it can pass to computers not connected to the
internet via transportable plug-in data drives.
The program rose to public attention this month when it infected Iranian
industrial plants. Cyber analysts believe that the originator of the worm will be
exposed soon and agree that the developers are a specialist team with in-depth
knowledge of the targeted systems, with most suggestions indicating a nation
state effort to be behind its creation.
Until the attack on Iranian infrastructure, experts widely understood the concept
of cyber warfare to have been an eventuality rather than a reality. This event now
places us in a new era where cyber warfare is no longer theoretical and action
and discussion is vital to ensure the protection of critical infrastructure on a global
scale.
The issues surrounding the Stuxnet attack and the possible ramifications for the
coming year will be analyzed at Defence IQ's 2010 Cyber Warfare conference, to
be held between January 27-28 at the American Square Conference Centre in
London. Expert speakers are confirmed for the event which will also include talks
on NATO doctrine, structuring European response, and the issues of international
cyber law.
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For full details of the conference, visit: www.cyberwarfare-event.com
For further information on both events, email: enquire@defenceiq.com
Tel: +44 (0)20 7368 9300
or 0800 652 2363
Fax: +44 (0)20 7368 9301