Proactive IT Security
Stuxnet virus “equivalent to sniper rifle aimed at global infrastructureprocessing industry”
Press Release
Norman ASA responds to today’s news reports that global Infrastructure is at serious risk of terrorist control.
Oslo, Norway 26 November 2010 – Today’s news that the Stuxnet virus has been made available on the Black Market is ‘tantamount to someone pointing a loaded sniper rifle at global infrastructure’ said Audun Lødemel, VP of Marketing and Business Development at security specialist Norman ASA.
”It was just a matter of time before the Stuxnet code was made available for anyone, with even the most basic knowledge of coding, to alter and potentially wreak havoc on the UK infrastructure. This is serious stuff and Oil & Gas, Railways, Electricity and Water services should now be on Red Alert” said Lødemel.
At present it is estimated that Stuxnet has infected around 100,000 computers, another worm, Conficker, infected over 7million at its peak.
The news has been flooded with the recent security breach of a major automation company reportedly caused by the Stuxnet virus being carried on a USB memory stick. “This new type of virus is highly sophisticated with many aspects that make it highly targeted and now that the code is in the hands of any malware writer it could mutate very quickly” said Lødemel.
But it’s not just memory sticks that can spread this type of malware. ‘These days anyone with a laptop or a device that connects remotely to a wireless network inside a company’s firewall, is putting that company at risk. It will just be a matter of time before Stuxnet or its successors are evolved to wreak havoc on control systems and any other system that the user connects to if their laptop or portable device is infected.’
Norman recently carried out research among ordinary workers and found that over half of people surveyed are more cautious with security issues when using their own PC/laptop than they are with their work one. And over three quarters of people would expect a pop up to appear on their screen to alert them to a breach of security which of course is not always going to happen.
Microsoft has issued patches to help users on Windows systems to protect themselves against Stuxnet, but, warns Lødemel:”My fear is that, with patch management protocols rarely in place in a control system environment, these warnings will go unheeded.”
For more information please contact:
Audun Lødemel, VP Marketing and Business Development, +47 934 46 531.
