The US has claimed responsibility for a Stuxnet cyber attack on Iran’s nuclear development program. It appears the worm was developed in a collaborative effort with Israel. Stuxnet eventually leeched into the internet and compromised computer systems at some point in 2010. Since detection, analysts suspected a government was behind the worm, because of the highly sophisticated nature of its coding.

According to a report by The New York Times, President Barack Obama acknowledged that he authorized the acceleration of the Stuxnet cyber attack initiated by former President George W. Bush, in an effort to infiltrate Iran’s industrial computers at Natanz. The aim of the mission targeted control of the plant’s systems to slow the country’s development of a full-fledged nuclear program. Reports indicate that despite the fact the Stuxnet worm was already known to have escaped and infiltrated public networks, Obama approved the acceleration of the attack for lack of a better alternative.

The recent news regarding the Stuxnet worm is yet another example of the perils of the internet. Businesses relying on internet access must stalwartly safeguard the security of their computer networks to protect both information and computer assets. The consequences of the escape and detection of Stuxnet are far reaching. The refined coding of the worm is currently available to the public to analyze for use. Hackers and cyber terrorists now have access to valuable raw materials to advance cyber crime agendas.

The extent of the Stuxnet worm’s impact will be felt over the coming years as cyber criminals become familiar with the sophisticated coding. As a result, identifying malicious coding for prompt, precise isolation is important for keeping business systems operational. To protect computer networks, active steps may be taken to improve your company’s cyber security. Network security audits and monitoring are an important aspect of cyber security to minimize the reach of advancing cyber crime in the years ahead.