Technical woes halt some Iran nuclear machines

[rayofreason]

Source: Reuters

(Reuters) - Iran has been experiencing significant technical problems with equipment in its uranium enrichment drive and temporarily shut down some of its centrifuge machines, Western diplomats said on Tuesday.

One senior diplomat said Iran acted after suffering power fluctuations but that it was unclear to what extent the Stuxnet computer virus may have been to blame. Iran is using an old centrifuge model which has been dogged by breakdowns for years.

Read more: http://in.reuters.com/article/idINIndia-53100120101123

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Excellent news. Congrats to the clever folks who hit the soft(ware) underbelly.

Now if only a similar bit of devilish design could be introduced to the DPRK....

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. Sooner or later this thing will spread

and it will be all but funny... just pointing this out. This is the problem with puter viruses.

Hey on the bright side, if it invades your system you are not controlling anything vital, and you will not even notice. On the other hand, your energy producing plant, especially your nuclear one...

[leveymg]

7. Only the Industrial Process Controllers are affected. U.S. centriguges don't use the same IPCs.

Iran uses IPCs from two manufacturers, Seimens and a Russian knock-off. U.S. HEU centrifuges and their computerized control systems are entirely different from the 40-year old Dutch/German-based design Iran relies on in its P-1/P-2 type machines.

This will have no effect on the safety of the US enrichment program. In fact, it will not be difficult to correct by the Iranians. All they have to do is swap-out the logic boards in the controllers, which are simple printed circuit boards with only a tiny amount of memory that can be corrupted. Some of the enriched uranium batches may be unusable, but that should have been caught early on through routine QA/QC. I'm sure the Iranians were the first to notice the fact of the problem, if not the source in the manufacturing process.

[nadinbrzezinski]

8. It is not just enrichment

And if this spreads to Europe some how it is ok?

[AtheistCrusader]

2. Wait, this is 'excellent news'?

Are you serious? This is a whole new modern category of 'act of war' if they can pin this on us or an ally.

Bonus points if a 'power fluctuation' in cooling pumps leads to a chernobyl in Iran.


This is not a game anyone should even consider playing. One step shy of bombing the facility.

[rayofreason]

3. "chernobyl in Iran"???

Get a grip. We are talking centrifuges, not a reactor.

And yes, it is better than bombing or letting the bat-shit crazy Mullahs get their hands on atomic weapons. So play away and let the vorpal sword go snicker-snak.

O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!

[SkyDaddy7]

4. NICE! nt.

[AtheistCrusader]

10. I get to hear all day long in the Environmental Forum how nuclear reactors are the most dangerous th

ing ever created and how they are alwasy just inches away from disaster, and you're in here, cheering on someone creating malicious code that DAMAGES REACTOR CONTROL SYSTEMS, and spread to the OPERATIONAL REACTORS of AT LEAST THREE COUNTRIES?

ARE YOU SERIOUS?


This is something for you to cheer about? Hurrr Hurr, we'll show them damn iranians! lol

You have got to be kidding me.

[SkyDaddy7]

11. Can you provide me with the info that...

says the malicious code was involved with nuclear reactors?? Try centrifuge machines!

I think you are getting worked up without the "evidence" to do so...I thought us atheist made decisions based on evidence? If you have "evidence" or an article that says Iran's nuclear reactors are being attacked then I would like to see it because I have not seen such an article.

However, I would much rather malicious codes be used rather than a military attack that could trigger a much bigger war & create a nuclear disaster if Iran's reactors were bombed.

Iran is a death cult theocracy and if or probably when they get a bomb then the entire middle east will be in a nuclear arms race...If you don't think Saudi Arabia, one of Iran's biggest foes, and other "Sunni Muslim" countries won't begin stock piling nuclear weapons once Iran has one then you should. Not only that but Iran has proxy groups like Hezbollah who would use the bomb on Israel if they could. I might not like some of the things Israel does but if they get nuked then who knows where we go from there...And you are worried about a nuclear meltdown in Iran...Try a nuclear winter across the globe!

I hope they continue sending malicious codes especially if they are really the reason behind Iran's enrichment problems!!

[AtheistCrusader]

12. Not just enrichment systems.

All sorts of Seimens control IP's.

http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9188147/Iran_admits_Stuxnet_worm_infected_PCs_at_nuclear_reactor

Control and data acquisition systems. Such as 'Coolant Flow Valve 1' open or closed, etc.
I also don't buy for a second when they say it didn't infect any actual LOB equipment, just a bunch of computers they don't actually use. Right. They would also probably like to sell us a bridge and some waterfront property.

[SkyDaddy7]

14. We have limited choices when it comes to Iran...

We either just sit back & allow them to get the bomb & then hope they do not use it to start a widespread religious war in the middle east like they have been wanting to do since the Islamic Revolution...Or we come up with ways to slow them down & ultimately prevent them from getting the bomb. Screwing with their computer systems has to be one of the best methods available especially when it comes to an actual military conflict! Even if your worst case scenario did happen, which there is no proof of right now, it would be far better than the same installations being bombed, period!

So, I am not sure what you feel should happen whether you think it is better to just let Iran get the bomb & hope they do not act on their plans of an Islamic revolution across the middle east or if you feel we should try & prevent Iran from getting the bomb. If so, then how would you suggest doing so?

A computer bug is a very good idea compared to military action, period! Let us hope it works! If not then expect the worst!

[AtheistCrusader]

15. I disagree, and I think your attitude is the only artificial brake

on peaceful options. Not you specifically, but people who hold the same attitude as you. I'm willing to bet you've even filtered out any positive news about western/Iranian relations in the last few weeks. You completely ignore it, because it doesn't fit your worldview of Iran as a hopless case, and a mad dog.

That's ok though. Other people are paying more and more attention.

[SkyDaddy7]

16. You could not be more wrong!

I do understand there is much Iran has that is in-line with the West...Matter of fact the you in Iran like the USA & hate the Islamic Theocracy...Plus, Iran is the most "Western" of any other Islamic Nation besides Turkey...There is a lot we have in common with "the people" NOT THE REGIME!

I totally respect your call for the most peaceful way forward but practically the entire world via the UN has been down that road with Iran over their nuclear program but Iran has been busted several times ignoring agreements they made! Iran was working with Pakistani Nuclear Scientist A. Q. Khan! Obama was very nice to Iran especially in public like no other Western Leader has done in a long time! Yet the regime keeps pushing on & on...They are going to do what they can to stall & delay until they have a bomb...

So, what is the world to do?

Do you understand what will happen in the middle east if the only Shia Islamic Nation has the bomb right in the middle of Sunni Islamic Nations? Think about that scenario for minute...Not a pleasant thought.

Something has to be done or we just sit back & watch?

I hope you will address the questions I am asking & simmer down on telling me "What I think & what my attitude is" because I already know those answers & tell me more about YOU & YOUR ATTITUDE, especially to the questions I am asking because those are very important questions, please.

[bananas]

5. k&r nt

[AtheistCrusader]

9. One of the devices affected were water pumps and valves.

Get a grip? You don't even know what you're talking about.

Equipment including Siemens monitoring circuits that indicate the current position of the valves. Bushehr reactor has a containment vessel, but that's pretty thin margin of error.

40% of the nuclear power systems impacted by this worm aren't even IN Iran.


Let's say this only targeted their centifruges alone. What happens if you damage a centifruge that's spinning at supersonic speeds, loaded with radioactive material? You might as well drop a damn bomb on it. It would be more honest that way.


I'm glad you think this is funny, or something to be condescending over.

[GliderGuider]

6. And when it hits the good ol' US of A?

Because if it's Stuxnet, you can be sure that some variant of it will be sent slithering across your borders by someone.

I see little to cheer about if this is an escalation of international aggression.

[Nihil]

13. The sooner the better and it will serve them right for sending it out in the first place.

Ditto for Israel (the only existent nuclear threat in the Middle East) and,
being so paranoid, the first thing they'll do is blame Iran for the problem!

:crazy: