The Stuxnet Virus Essay Example for Free

The Stuxnet Virus Essay Historic data shows that Iran accounted for almost sixty percent of the early infections. According to Siemens, 15 of its customers were identified as having detected the worm on their systems as of Sept. 14. Stuxnet used stolen digital certificates from Realtek Semiconductor and JMicron Technology to legitimately slip through and hide. The certificates also helped keep Stuxnet under the radar. 1. 1 Why are all the fingers pointing to the United States and Israel? Most cyber security experts who have researched this complex attack call it a joint U. S. Israeli operation, which may have also included Germany and Great Britain. It is also a well known fact which, incidentally, has not been denied by either the US. or Israel, that Israeli intelligence tested aspects of the worm using centrifuges identical to Irans at Israel’s Dimona complex. Even Siemens the German company cooperated with Idaho National Laboratories in the US to identify the vulnerabilities of computer controllers that the company sells to operate industrial machinery around the world. Not too long afterwards, those very vulnerabilities were exploited by Stuxnet. . Why a Cyber Attack? Cyber warfare requires intellect not military might and a country does not have to be a military superpower to wage a cyber attack. Cyber attack tracks are much easier to cover and are easily attributable to another entity. While cyber attacks are only recently been declared by our military and political leadership as acts of war, compared to an actual physical military attack on another country life can go on as usual for most of the citizens on both sides of the conflict without the slightest idea that their country is at war. It does not cost billions of dollars to run or manage and is hardly a long-term commitment of hundreds of thousands of troops and the logistics to support them and their equipment at the front lines. In case of Iran, a cyber attack was the most viable option available to global powers because the Iranian regime did not hesitate to make threats against the United States and Israel should it have been attacked militarily to make it stop trying to produce nuclear weapons. 2. 1 What exactly is Stuxnet designed to do? Graphic: Courtesy of The New York Times, January 15, 2011 Stuxnet is the first malware of its type designed to cross over the cyber – industrial divide and attacking critical infrastructure like power stations and electricity grids. On 26 September 2010, Irans state news agency reported that computers at its Bushehr nuclear power plant had been infected. The New York Times article, Israeli Test on Worm called Crucial in Iran Nuclear Delay, describes the complex function of Stuxnet in very simple terms: â€Å"One part of the program is designed to lie dormant for long periods, and then speed up the machines so that the spinning rotors in the centrifuges wobble and then destroy themselves. Another part, called a â€Å"man in the middle† in the computer world, sends out those false sensor signals to make the system believe everything is running smoothly. That prevents a safety system from kicking in, which would shut down the plant before it could self-destruct. † The same article further quotes Ralph Langer, widely credited for having solved Stuxnet, as saying: â€Å"Code analysis makes it clear hat Stuxnet is not about sending a message or proving a concept,† and later saying â€Å"It is about destroying its targets with utmost determination in military style. † Stuxnet was designed to seek out its target, cripple it beyond repair without causing any collateral damage; stay lurking in the shadows to continue to strike, all without leaving any conclusive evidence of who sent it on its mission in the first place. Needless to say, it succeeded in its mission. 2. 2 How effective was Stuxnet and why? To sit remotely, thousands of miles away and receive an email update from your smart malware that it has disabled your enemy’s commercial power grid says something about the power and effectiveness of this new weapon of cyber warfare. By most accounts and estimates damage from the Stuxnet virus has apparently set back the Iranian nuclear program by at least two years. This makes the virus as effective as a military strike, perhaps even more; all this without loss of life, collateral damage, or risk of a full-blown war. 3. History and future of nation state cyber warfare According to the Council on Foreign Relations, although few countries beyond the well-known players like China, Russia, and Israel and a handful of others have historically possessed the capability to launch a full scale cyber attack along the lines of the Stuxnet attack, over one hundred countries have begun to organize cyber warfare units. (Masters, 2011, sec. 2) Across the world, countries are either engaged in cyber battles with their arch enemies or gearing up to bolster their defenses against cyber warfare.

Walt Whitmans Song of Myself Essay -- Song of Myself Essays

Walt Whitman's "Song of Myself" Walt Whitman's 'Song of Myself' is, on the most basic descriptive level, a really long poem. Whitman is clearly a poet with a lot to say, or at least with a lot of different ways to say it. He meanders from the micro to the macro, from atoms to the whole earth. There are obviously myriad ways to explain what the poem is about, and myriad 'keys' to its true meaning. In what became Section 6 of the final edition (lines 90-121 of the 1855 edition ) Whitman himself addresses this sort of 'meta-question' of interpretation. By doing so in one of the quieter, more straightforward sections of the poem, Whitman invites us to use the section as one such 'key.' In Section 6, Whitman lays out a (possible) microcosm of 'Song of Myself' and gives a very kind prompt that here is a place where befuddled readers can ease their way into the poem. Whitman signals from the beginning of this passage that it is more accessible than most of his others. The first line tells us simply of a question asked by a child: ?A child said, What is the grass? fetching it to me with full hands?? (90). In contrast to some of the earlier lines--the challenge of line 22 (?Have you reckoned a thousand acres much? Have you reckoned the earth much??) or the confusion of lines 30-31 (?I have heard what the talkers were talking?.the talk of the beginning and the end,/but I do not talk of the beginning and the end?.?) --this information is easy to process. We are likely to pause and enjoy the refreshing image of an inquisitive child, hands full of grass. Although Whitman goes on to catalogue all kinds of similar brief, simple sketches, for the moment we only have to deal with one. This single child is a messenge... ... (as determined by the 1891-1892 edition). Whitman?s answer to the question he posed to us earlier is now just what we might expect. ?They are alive and well somewhere;/The smallest sprout shows there is really no death? he tells us (116). This seems almost to say ?Good job?you followed my clues correctly, you too can read poetry.? By setting this section up, Whitman gives us one of his main themes that we can proceed to follow through this poem. At the same time, he shows us that one poem can be about many different ideas, and so cautions us against being too adamant about our newly discovered lens. His multitude of ?uttering tongues? can be confusing, but he does not leave us stranded?he gives us a map that shows one way to navigate this poem, and also the freedom to discover others at will. Works Cited: Whitman, Walt. "Song of Myself." 14 Nov 2006 .

Marriage in a Man’s World

Marie de France’s epic poem â€Å"Lanval† is an outstanding work of satire that pokes fun at the societal norms of the author’s time, including government and the institution of marriage.   Though she never directly states it, de France paints marriage at the court level as a farce, a facade, and an arrangement of convenience rather than passion, love, or commitment. Marie de France wastes no time in laying the groundwork for the subtext of this poem.   Within the first few stanzas, as she paints a picture of the great and noble King Arthur, she manages to slide in a reference to King Arthur providing his Round Table members with wives as â€Å"gifts.†Ã‚   She mentions these gifts in the same breath as â€Å"lands,† which suggests the King views women as property and the institution of marriage as a kind of purchase agreement.   The art here is in the subtlety with which de France inserts this subversive idea into what seems like a simple description of a man’s virtues. The author reinforces her statement on marriage – specifically the sexist nature of marriage and relationships at the time – with the introduction of the mysterious, wealthy and beautiful maiden.   The maiden acts as a caricature of a male fantasy, approaching him out of nowhere with the offer of free love and devotion.   Only her physical and financial features are praised, and when Lanval agrees to her terms, she immediately allows him to sleep with her.   Lanval has found himself in the perfect situation – sex and wealth from a beautiful woman, and all he has to do is not acknowledge their relationship. It is not long before Lanval’s loyalty is put to the test and de France puts another nail in the coffin of marriage.   King Arthur’s wife, the Queen, apparently unconcerned with the fact that that she is married, offers herself to Lanval.   The author treats this as though a Queen coming on to a knight was common practice, even expected.   When Lanval denies her wish, the Queen is incensed; one gets the idea that she is no stranger to such an arrangement and not used to being turned down.   When Lanval professes his love for his fantasy maiden, he does so to disprove the Queen’s suggestion that he is homosexual. As one would expect, King Arthur is extremely angry when he finds out what has happened between Lanval and the Queen, though the version he hears is not the whole truth.   Arthur vows to bring the knight to justice in court, which is heavily swayed in the King’s favor.   However, when he brings the charges against Lanval he fails to mention that Lanval attempted to sleep with his wife.   Instead, he focuses on Lanval’s statement that his lover’s maidens were fairer than the Queen.   As it seems logical that King Arthur would be far more upset with the idea of Lanval sleeping with his wife than speaking these words, readers get the idea that perhaps King Arthur does not believe the Queen’s accusations.   Perhaps he knows and ignores the Queen’s unfaithful ways, and perhaps he is guilty of the same behavior. After a series of ridiculous happenings in which the male members of the court are nearly put into trances by a series of half naked maidens on horseback, Lanval’s beautiful maiden comes to his aid.   Upon witnessing her beauty, all side with Lanval immediately, King Arthur included.   By pardoning this man who has supposedly wronged the Queen, King Arthur gives insight into his priorities.   Since the mystery maiden is far more physically attractive and wealthy than the Queen had ever been, there was no way Lanval could have made such an advance on the Queen.   And even if he said the things he said, he spoke the truth.   In this comical twist by de France, the King is more than willing to put aside his honor and the honor of his wife for an attractive stranger. Marie de France makes her final comment on the male-female, love-marriage tradition with the image of Lanval leaping onto the back of the maiden’s horse and riding into the distance.   Clearly, de France is turning the typical boy-rescues-girl scenario upside down, and perhaps is suggesting that things in her time are out of hand and need some strong women to turn things around.

The Problem Of Water Pollution - 1508 Words

Water pollution has been a rising crisis in the United States for over a century. Since the Industrial Age, harmful substances have contaminated numerous streams, rivers, and lakes across the country. Clean drinking water is a valuable resource and a key to human survival. Plants and animals also depend on water for their growth, so all water must be kept clean. We have taken small strides to ensure a high quality drinking water for both human and animal consumption. Various laws prohibiting numerous toxic chemicals and wastes from infiltrating our water supply have been made to ensure the safety of our people. However, the precautions we have taken are only temporary and we have yet to come up with a long-term solution. Davey’s article on Flint’s water crisis does a great job detailing how failing to create a reliable and trustworthy solution to contain contaminated water has become a substantial concern across the country. In Monica Davey’s article, â€Å"Flint Officials Are No Longer Saying the Water Is Fine,† she describes one of the most recent water pollution crisis in America. Taking place in Flint, Michigan, Davey explains how an untold amount of the city’s problems tie directly within their water struggle, such as economic woes and the government’s inability to help the people of Flint. She insists the polluted water has been the latest blow to an already battered city. Throughout the article, Davey voices her opinion and grasps the reader’s attention by providing theShow MoreRelatedThe Problem Of Water Pollution1787 Words   |  8 PagesSad Waters The world we live in is has many problems that cause a lot of bad, with many ongoing issues that have been occurring for so many years and now today. Every day there are daily routines that affect the life of humans and the life of other living organisms. The earth is a valuable and fragile place that can only do its best to care for itself. Water is essential to life as we know it. If people use it, trash it and do not care for it, then this place that is a home to many will soonRead MoreProblems Associated With Water Pollution1402 Words   |  6 PagesProblems with Pollution Have you ever wondered what it would be like to not have access to a toilet or any form of proper sanitation. That is what is like for many residents in Accra, Ghana as they lack a proper restroom in their homes. Without proper waste removal, waste is piled up around the city in the waterways, gutters, and any other site unlucky enough to become a community dump site. We seek to solve this problem by informing people about the problem and providing money to organizationsRead MoreWater Pollution Is An Ever Growing Problem Essay1258 Words   |  6 PagesOur planet earth is covered in water, more precisely 71% of earth’s surface is covered with water (Perlman USGS, n.d.). With this large amount of water present one would think that water pollution is not something that needs to be considered. This in fact is untrue, water pollution is an ever growing problem that our planet is facing. One form of pollution that is on the rise is nutrient loading. Nutrient loading is a becoming a large problem in waterways throughout the world both in freshwaterRead MoreProblem Statement About Water Pollution16918 Words   |  68 Pages|C| | |o| | |l| | |o| | |m| | |b| | |o| | |W| | |a| | |s| | |t| | |e| | |M| | |a| | |n| | |a| | |g| | |e| | |m| | |e| | |n| | |t| | | | | | | | |D| | |u| | |e| | |t| | |o| | |t| | |h| | |e| | |n| | |u| | |m| | |e| | |r| | |o| | |u| | |s| | |a| | |r| | |t| | |i| | |c| | |l| | |e| | |s| | |o| | |n| | |t| | |h| | |i| | |s| | |i| | |s| | |s| | |u| | |e| | |I| | |h| | |a| | |v| | |e| | |d| | |e| | |c| | |i| | |d| | |e| | |d| | |t| | |o| | |s| | |t| | |a| | |r| | |t| | |t| | |h| | |i| | |s| | |t| | |h|Read MoreWater Pollution: Is It as Big of a Problem as We Think?2525 Words   |  11 PagesWater Pollution: Is it as big of a problem as we think? The following essay will be looking at the factors that cause pollution, and the effect that pollution has on our world today. It will also investigate what it has in store for the future if things do not improve. It will also explore some of the methods used to treat and clean-up wastewater, and oil spills. Today, the industrialization of Canada is severely affecting this nations lakes, streams, and rivers. If something is not doneRead MoreWater Pollution Is A Problem That Effects All Living Things1129 Words   |  5 PagesWater pollution is a problem that effects all living things. Every living organism on the earth needs water to survive. When the water is polluted, it not only effects the plants and animals, it harms people. Taking care of this planet s water is very important to the short term and long term survival of living things. The oceans are constantly being polluted by individuals and many industries. These waters must be cleaned up before the costs are too great and the damages beyond repair. Action toRead MoreWater Pollution Is A Problem That Effects All Living Things1128 Words   |  5 PagesWater pollution is a problem that effects all living things. Every living organism on the earth needs water to survive. When the water is polluted, it not only effects the plants and animals, it harms people. Taking care of this planet s water is very im portant to the short term and long term survival of living things. The oceans are constantly being polluted by individuals and many industries. These waters must be cleaned up before the costs are too great and the damages beyond repair. Action toRead MorePollution Is A Serious Problem?1320 Words   |  6 PagesMarch 2016 pollution in china In the paper, I argue that what types of pollution in china by introducing the situation and problems in china. Following the development of economic and scientific, China is playing a very important role in the international arena. Increasing the number of people become rich. they can buy the new car, big house, and expensive clothes. In many people s opinions that China is becoming strong and rich. But they do not know China is also facing a serious problem, it is pollutionRead MoreSolution Of Water Pollution1036 Words   |  5 Pagessurface has been covered by water, and less than a third is taken up by land. Water pollution has increased dramatically affecting our food system including, drinking water, and our environment.Water pollution is generally caused by human activities but may also be caused by natural resources. Before the 19th century Industrial Revolution, people in the industrialized environment believed that the oceans were too big to be polluted, so the problem of the water pollution has dragged along with it.Read MorePoint Source Pollution Essay1248 Words   |  5 PagesLiterature Introduction Pollution has been an ongoing program that dates back thousands of years and consists of air, noise, water, light, soil, thermal, and radioactive forms (causes). This research paper will concentrate on water pollution, types, causes, and solutions to deal with what possibly will lead to an inevitable destruction of our environment, leading to water ways that cannot sustain life. Life cannot exist without clean, or non-polluted water. Since our drinking water and a lot of our food