Head of Iran's civil defense branch tells IRNA news agency that Duqu malware contained, neutralized after being discovered.
By YAAKOV KATZStuxnet 311(photo credit: Courtesy)
Iran admitted on Sunday that some of its computer systems have been infected by a new Stuxnet-like virus called Duqu. The virus was discovered several months ago and is believed to be a more advanced version of the Stuxnet virus which attacked Iran’s Natanz nuclear facility last year.Stuxnet is believed to have destroyed about 1,000 centrifuges at Natanz that were being used to enrich uranium. The New York Times reported in January that the US and Israel created Stuxnet in order to hinder Iran's nuclear program.RELATED:New ‘Stuxnet-related’ virus may be set for cyber-attackIran: Building nuclear bomb would be 'strategic mistake'Head of Iran's civil defense branch Brig.-Gen. Gholamreza Jalali told the official IRNA news agency that Duqu was discovered inside computer systems but that Iran had developed a way to contain and neutralize the malware.
All facilities and equipment, which were affected with this virus, have been cleaned, and the virus is under control, he said according to Teheran Times.Security software firm Symantec said in a report last month that it was alerted by a research lab with international connections to a malicious code that "appeared to be very similar to Stuxnet." It was named Duqu because it creates files with "DQ" in the prefix. Security firms including Dell Inc's SecureWorks, Intel Corp's McAfee, Kaspersky Lab and Symantec say they found Duqu victims in Europe, Iran, Sudan and the United States.Click here for full Jpost coverage of the Iranian threat
