Technology News

Idaho Falls, Idaho (Reuters) - Behind the doors of a nondescript red brick and gray building at the Idaho National Laboratory is the laboratory of malware, where the government cybersecurity experts analyzed Stuxnet computer virus.

Malware targets industrial control systems widely used built by the German company Siemens. Internet experts said it was driven primarily by Iran's nuclear program and sophistication indicated the involvement of a nation-state, perhaps the United States or Israel.

Stuxnet virus was "a significant turning point in the network world, says Marty Edwards, the Department of Homeland Security official in charge of the computer program, in collaboration with Idaho National Laboratory, which makes nuclear research.

The U.S. government fears that the attacks could devastate the industrial base, and cost millions of dollars. Idaho lab programs are aimed at protecting infrastructure industrial chemical plants, food processing, utilities, water and transport.

"It 's probably the most important security issue facing us today," said Greg Schaffer, a senior official of the DHS National Protection and Programs Directorate. "This is a problem that continues to grow."

In the first round of the EDS corporate media Idaho Falls, installation, Thursday and Friday, visiting the laboratory malware journalists and saw demonstrations of how the cyber intrusion can attack the computer networks of industries.

The building that houses the laboratory of malware is also behind the trucks to carry equipment that companies send the analysis of vulnerability information.

Analyzing Stuxnet

The malware is a quiet laboratory with a large conference table in dark Homeland Security analysts Idaho National Laboratory look at the computer screen large study of lines of code in the malware to try to determine how to fight it.

"This is the position of the location we did the analysis Stuxnet the virus when it first came out," said Edwards.

"The virus was brought here and run on a computer installation content control against the current system so that we can study these effects to deliver mitigation measures for the general public," he said.

Edwards would have revealed details of the analysis, because it was sensitive information, but said the findings released by industries that have a "need to know to protect yourself."

"But in general, we found that Stuxnet a sophisticated virus that has been looking for a very specific operating system," he said. "And this system engineered evil intentions."

The laboratory carries out his analysis of malicious code as a "sandbox", an isolated environment is not connected to an external computer to prevent infection.

"You do not want something, do not parse the rest, to crawl out of the U.S. Department of Energy or the Department of Safety Systems," said Edwards.

The United States vulnerable to attack Stuxnet style?

"All the industrial control systems that implement some kind of sensitivity to attacks as Stuxnet. But thanks to the efforts that have been associated with the industry, I can say that there are great strides in protecting systems," said Edwards.

White and a glass cube-shaped building shows signs along the steps, he said, "this area is not approved for classified discussions" rather than mobile phones allowed.

It was the site of the watch and warning center classified, where cyber-threat data collected and shared. It is completely optional for private companies to share data is often protected by the government when they suspect a cyber attack.

EDS has received 81 applications from private companies to evaluate the safety control system this year, against 57 last year.

Look in the middle of the staff to sit on the computer screen and watching large screens in the head to identify cases that may be cyber-threat to the industry.

"Often in the early stages, we do not know what the event is," said Schaffer. For example, they discussed the recent failure of San Diego removed the power of electricity to millions of people but then determined he was not a cyber-attack.

"We are aware of anything that will negatively impact the ability of our Internet ecosystem," said Schaffer.