Stuxnet now infiltrating China

BEIJING: Cyber security experts in China are ringing alarm bells after a malware attack attempting to infiltrate factory computers in China's key industries.

The attack is caused by Stuxnet, the worm was first discovered in mid-June and was specially written to attack Siemens supervisory control and data (SCADA) systems commonly used to control and monitor industrial facilities - from traffic lights and oil rigs to power and nuclear plants, the Global Times daily reported quoting experts.

A PTI report quoted, Wang, an engineer at the Beijing-headquartered Rising International Software company saying that the malware is specially designed to sabotage plants and damage industrial systems, instead of stealing personal data. It will seriously threaten the pillar of industries in China, he said adding that the worm successfully penetrates factory computers causing the industries to collapse."

Stuxnet spreads by exploiting three holes in Windows, one of which has been patched.

Also read: What is Stuxnet?

The worm infection is wide spread in Iran. It has been found to target Siemens systems mostly in USA, India, Indonesia and Pakistan.