How did Stuxnet work?

Stuxnet was a sophisticated computer worm that was designed to infiltrate and disrupt Iran's nuclear program by targeting specific industrial control systems (ICS). The worm used several methods to propagate, including exploiting vulnerabilities in Microsoft Windows operating systems and spreading through USB drives. Stuxnet then searched for specific Siemens Step7 software and hardware, which are commonly used in industrial systems, and manipulated them to alter the speed of centrifuges in Iran’s uranium enrichment facilities, causing them to malfunction and damage themselves. This attack was highly targeted, precise and unprecedented in its complexity, as it demonstrated that cyber attacks can cause physical damage to critical infrastructure.

This mind map was published on 7 June 2023 and has been viewed 137 times.