Electronic warfare emerges around Iranian nuke

Iran has charged that an extremely dangerous “foreign-made” computer worm, “Stuxnet”, has infected tens of thousands of its industrial computer systems. According to international computer security experts, the computer worm targets electricity facilities using Siemens control systems including Iran’s nearly operational Bushehr nuclear power plant in what is being called the first case of cyber-sabotage of an industrial system.

The still mutating computer worm is designed to reprogram critical functions however researchers do not yet know what types of systems are targeted or how the sabotage is executed. The Islamic Republic News Agency reports that the virus is not stable and since cleanup efforts began three new versions of the infection have been spreading.

The computer worm is reported to have first been discovered in June when researchers found about 45,000 infected computers in various countries including Indonesia and India. However, leading cyber-security analysts have concluded that a system in Iran was the focus of the attack.  The Washington Post quotes a researcher with the security firm Symantec, “We have never seen anything like this before. It is very dangerous.”  

The controversial Bushehr nuclear power plant which would generate weapons usable plutonium as well as electricity was in the final stages of preparation for operation. Originally of German design and launched under the Shah, Iran’s first commercial nuclear power plant was being completed with the aid of Russia after nearly a quarter century of construction.

The New York Times reports “It is also raising fear of dangerous proliferation. Stuxnet has laid bare significant vulnerabilities in industrial control systems. The program is being examined for clues not only by the world’s computer security companies, but also by intelligence agencies and countless hackers.

“Proliferation is a real problem, and no country is prepared to deal with it,” said Melissa Hathaway, a former United States national cybersecurity coordinator. The widespread availability of the attack techniques revealed by the software has set off alarms among industrial control specialists, she said: “All of these guys are scared to death. We have about 90 days to fix this before some hacker begins using it.”

“The ability of Stuxnet to infiltrate these systems will 'require a complete reassessment' of security systems and processes, starting with federal technology standards and nuclear regulations, said Joe Weiss, a specialist in the security of industrial control systems who is managing partner at Applied Control Solutions in Cupertino, Calif.”



Calvert Cliffs reactor looks in doubt as EDF and Constellation feud

The so-called nuclear "Renaissance" is starting to look less like a marble David and more like a collapsing cooling tower as U.S. utility, Constellation, becomes the next to run for the exits. According to a Bloomberg article, Constellation and French partner, EDF, are in frantic talks to try to save their joint U.S. venture - a third reactor at the Calvert Cliffs nuclear power plant site on the shores of  the Chesapeake Bay.

Worth remembering - children should not have any strontium-90

Mourning the loss of Gene Case whose genius served many causes

It is with great sadness that we learned of the death of Gene Case on September 9th in New York. Case was one of the original geniuses of the "Mad Men" age of advertising and, in his later years, went on to found his agency, Avenging Angels, which produced ads and artwork for many progressive causes, including Beyond Nuclear (some samples are shown here). Earlier, Case founded the half-billion-dollar agency Jordan McGrath Case & Partners. Gene was also part of the creative team that produced the now famous short "daisy" television commercial  and the equally wry ice cream commercial for the 1964 Lyndon Johnson presidential campaign against Barry Goldwater. A full tribute to Gene Case will be coming soon, but we wanted to acknowledge the passing of a creative talent and a wonderful friend and human being.

100,000 take to the streets in Germany to protest nuclear power

As many as 100,000 anti-nuclear demonstrators took to the streets of Berlin on September 18 to voice their strong opposition to the Merkel government's decision to extend the licenses of the country's operating nuclear power plants. A human chain was formed around the government building and protesters also rallied at the railway station. The previous government had decided  to shut down all nuclear plants by 2021, but Merkel's coalition government plans to extend the deadline by 10-15 years. See also photos and a short video of the rally.

Update on September 21, 2010 by admin

The opposition Social Democrats have called for a change in the German constitution that will allow a national referendum on the future of nuclear energy in Germany. The SPD and the  Green party alsoplan to challenge the government’s decision in the constitutional court, on the grounds that the 16 federal states represented in the Bundesrat, the second parliamentary chamber, will not be consulted.