Summary: Myths about public stoning and speculation about punishment for those who are accused of attacking Windows computers that belong to Iran's nuclear programme

PUBLIC stoning is an extremely rarely sight in Iran (contrary to reports from the West or the impression they try to get across), but recently it made a lot of press because of an incident which produced daemonisation opportunities against an entire nation/regime (never mind the hypocrisy, such as the United States executing women in gas chambers until a few decades ago). Techrights is not a political Web site, but it never in the IRC channel condoned execution, either (not the editors anyway). The "-social" IRC channel is where political discussion is more openly received.

For those who have been living under a rock, there is a Windows worm called "Stuxnet" (maybe an 'umbrella' for some variants with commonality) and we wrote about it in the following recent posts:

• Stuxnet Grows Beyond Siemens-Windows Infections
• Has BP Already Abandoned Windows?
• Reports: Apple to Charge for (Security) Updates
• Windows Viruses Can be Politically Motivated Sometimes
• New Flaw in Windows Facilitates More DDOS Attacks
• Siemens is Bad for Industry, Partly Due to Microsoft
• Microsoft Security Issues in The British Press, Vista and Vista 7 No Panacea
• Microsoft's Negligence in Patching (Worst Amongst All Companies) to Blame for Stuxnet
• Microsoft Software: a Darwin Test for Incompetence
• Bad September for Microsoft Security, Symantec Buyout Rumours
• Microsoft Claims Credit for Failing in Security
• Many Windows Servers Being Abandoned; Minnesota Goes the Opposite Direction by Giving Microsoft Its Data

Techrights has also reported about Stuxnet specifically in Iran, under the following posts:

• Ralph Langner Says Windows Malware Possibly Designed to Derail Iran's Nuclear Programme
• Windows Viruses Can be Politically Motivated Sometimes
• Who Needs Windows Back Doors When It's So Insecure?
• Windows Insecurity Becomes a Political Issue

According to the MSBBC, which is not entirely reliable on political issues (their blogs are better), Iran arrests "nuclear spies" accused of cyber attacks "after the complex worm Stuxnet infected staff computers at Iran's first nuclear power station at Bushehr."

Iran has arrested "nuclear spies" on suspicion of being behind cyber attacks on its nuclear programme, Iranian state media report.

Press TV says "a number" of people have been apprehended as part of an operation by Iran to counter "massive enemy schemes".

The report comes after the complex worm Stuxnet infected staff computers at Iran's first nuclear power station at Bushehr.

No details of the arrests were given.

It will be interesting to know the crime and the punishment. Many expert reports have suggested that Stuxnet was actually designed by a foreign government to take advantage of Microsoft Windows in enemy territories, and perhaps even specifically to derail Iran's nuclear programme. ⬆

Eric Blair's memo of resignation from the BBC