Stuxnet Tricks Copied by Computer Criminals

By: Tom Simonite, MIT's Technology Review

Malicious code apparently used by governments to spy on, harass, and sabotage one another has grabbed headlines in recent years, yet the highly targeted nature of such attacks have meant ordinary Web users have so far had little to fear. That may now be changing as some experts say the techniques used in sophisticated, state-backed malware are trickling down to less-skilled programmers who target regular Web users and their online accounts or credit card details.

"Cybercriminals read the news as well," says Roel Schouwenberg, a security researcher with Russian computer security company Kaspersky. Schouwenberg adds that sophisticated, state-sponsored "cyberweapons and targeted attacks now give us some insight into what will be coming into the mainstream."

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