The United States and Israel jointly developed a sophisticated computer virus nicknamed Flame that collected critical intelligence in preparation for cyber-sabotage attacks aimed at slowing Iran’s ability to develop a nuclear weapon, according to Western officials with knowledge of the effort.
The massive piece of malware was designed to secretly map Iran’s computer networks and monitor the computers of Iranian officials, sending back a steady stream of intelligence used to enable an ongoing cyberwarfare campaign, according to the officials.
The effort, involving the National Security Agency, the CIA and Israel’s military, has included the use of destructive software such as the so-called Stuxnet virus to cause malfunctions in Iran’s nuclear enrichment equipment.
The emerging details about Flame provide new clues about what is believed to be the first sustained campaign of cyber-sabotage against an adversary of the United States.
After President Donald Trump was informed in May that special counsel Robert Mueller had been appointed...
The threat of criminal indictment that has hung for months over Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel's prime minister,...
The Supreme Court agreed late Tuesday to lift restrictions on President Trump's travel ban until further notice,...
The Trump administration is considering proposing smaller, more tactical nuclear weapons that would cause less damage...
