Stuxnet: The First Strike in the Global Cyber Wars

In 2010, malware dubbed “Stuxnet” marked a new era in cyberwarfare after destroying 1,000 centrifuges in Iran’s Natanz nuclear facility. The malicious software was designed to bypass antivirus software and caused physical and psychological damage. Likely created by the US and Israel, Stuxnet showed that cyberweapons have substantial physical effects and that they complement traditional military activities. The development of Stuxnet cost an estimated $300 million and took at least five years.