Cyber ‘superweapon’ virus uncovered - Russian firm

RUSSIA: A top Russian anti-virus software firm said it had uncovered a new computer virus with unprecedented destructive potential which is being used as a “cyberweapon” against several countries.

Kaspersky Lab, one of the world's biggest producers of anti-virus software, said its experts discovered the virus -- known as Flame -- during an investigation prompted by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

It said that the virus was several times larger than the Stuxnet worm that was discovered in 2010 and was used against the Iranian nuclear programme, reportedly at the behest of Western security agencies.

Flame is “actively being used as a cyber weapon attacking entities in several countries,” Kaspersky said in a statement late on Monday, describing its purpose as “cyberespionage”.

“The complexity and functionality of the newly discovered malicious programme exceed those of all other cyber menaces known to date,” it added.

AFP