Ralph Lagner cracked the code of the Stuxnet worm that tried to destroy the Iranian uranium enrichment facilities six months ago.

The code contains two digital warheads. One slowly modulates the centrifuge rotor controller so that it eventually cracks and explodes. The other interrupts the input values from sensors so the plant control systems see raw sensor data that masks the damage being done.

“When digital safety systems are compromised, then real bad things can happen. Your plant can blow up and neither your operators nor safety systems will notice it. That’s scary. But it gets worse. This attack is generic. It has nothing specific to do with centrifuges or uranium enrichment. It could work as well with a power plant or auto factory. You could use traditional worm technology to distribute it as wide as possible. And if you do that, you end up with a cyber weapon of mass destruction.”

Who did it? “My opinion is that the Mossad is involved, but the leading force is not Israel. The leading force is the one cyber-superpower. There is only one, and that is the U.S. Fortunately, fortunately, because otherwise our problems would even be bigger.”

Ponder that for a moment….