ABSTRACT
The Department of Defense began to seriously consider the use of cyber weapons against enemy’s critical infrastructure facilities. Stuxnet was the first known computer program to spy on and reprogram industrial installations. The purpose of the worm’s attack was not the common theft of money or personal data, but an assault on a strategically important physical target. Over the past years, there has been a great deal of discussion about the Stuxnet worm and the consequences of its use. The Stuxnet implementation and its proven effectiveness are worrisome for several reasons. Stuxnet was the first piece of undeniable proof of how powerful and effective cyber weapons might be. It became evident that weaponized software can cause real damage in the physical world. Undoubtedly, cyberattacks like Stuxnet share many traits with war in its classical meaning. Regardless of which country or coalition of countries was involved in the creation of Stuxnet, it was a successful demonstration of power.
