# Was the Stuxnet malware designed to destroy Iran's Bushehr nuclear power plant?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-stuxnet-malware-designed-to-destroy-irans-bushehr-nuclear-power-plant/554976>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [September 25, 2010, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-stuxnet-malware-designed-to-destroy-irans-bushehr-nuclear-power-plant/554976 "2010-09-25T05:19:25Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 14

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**Author:** ![Todderbob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47774/32.png) [@Todderbob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Todderbob)\
**Post date:** [September 25, 2010, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-stuxnet-malware-designed-to-destroy-irans-bushehr-nuclear-power-plant/554976/14 "2010-09-25T16:55:02Z")

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> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#):
>
> The U.S. government has had a long-standing problem of not being able to get the best computer minds to work for them, for a huge host of reasons. No chance of a billion-dollar payback, absence of utterly cool working conditions, not being able to talk to others about the work. But also, a lack of really interesting problems.

It hadn’t occurred to me that the US government had those kinds of problems.

But even if they did, getting recruited to do something like this has to be a huge stroke on someones ego/challenge of their skills/whatever motivation needed to overcome that, don’t you think?

> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#):
>
> Whether the U.S. did this one or not, there’s got to be talk among the elite coders about the opportunity to do spectacular things that would otherwise be illegal while being given all the resources in the world. That’s a game-changer in many ways.

I smell a slew of James Bond-esque spy thrillers centered around coding, like… hey, wasn’t there a Harrison Ford movie like this already?

> [@coremelt](#):
>
> > [@Todderbob](#):
> >
> > 1. Russia, 4) China, 5) India, 6) Pakistan .
> 
> I believe that all of the above countries sell arms to Iran. What would be their motivation to attack Iran’s nuclear facility?

They all have nukes, Iran does not. Anyone else with nukes makes their nukes less important, and removes one bargaining chip in future relations with that country.

There’s a huge differences between “Nukes” and “Arms.”

Selling arms isn’t a big deal, at worst, someone could eventually use them against you – but they’re probably dependent on you for maintaining their arms too, so it’s unlikely. And if they do, you already have nukes.

There are a lot of general possibilities, and nothing concrete, but all reasonable assertions as to potential motive. And that rules out any purely xenophobic tendencies, or genuine ambitions for world conquest/hegemony which, while unlikely, are perfectly possible from any number of nations clandestine organizations.

> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#):
>
> > [@coremelt](#):
> >
> > I believe that all of the above countries sell arms to Iran. What would be their motivation to attack Iran’s nuclear facility?
> 
> For the last 65 years, the world has made a distinction between arms and nuclear weapons.
> 
> Russia has been supporting Iran’s nuclear program, so they would presumably have other ways to block it if they were worried about weaponry. But the others have lots of incentive. If Iran sets off even one bomb then it won’t be a customer for anything for a long time.

You’re correct, Russia has/had every chance to hinder their program, and hasn’t. While still a possible suspect, it’s unlikely they’d have done it this way.

> [@Oh sweet, sweet new Pratchett](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-sweet-sweet-new-pratchett/63752/24):
>
> > [@Oh sweet, sweet new Pratchett](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-sweet-sweet-new-pratchett/63752/24):
> >
> > The U.S. government has had a long-standing problem of not being able to get the best computer minds to work for them, for a huge host of reasons. No chance of a billion-dollar payback, absence of utterly cool working conditions, not being able to talk to others about the work. But also, a lack of really interesting problems.
> 
> Israel avoids this problem by having a general draft - most of the best coders in the country between the ages of 18 and 21 work for the military.

Hadn’t even occurred to me, Israel may be more likely than the States then. I very much doubt they’ll do anything to dispel the image they did it.

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