Suspected cyber-attack hits Iran’s oil sector

Published time: April 23, 2012 19:30
Edited time: April 23, 2012 23:30
A view of a petrochemical complex in Assaluyeh on Iran's Persian Gulf coast (Reuters / /Morteza Nikoubazl)

A virus has been discovered in computers running key parts of Iran's oil sector, forcing authorities to unplug its main oil export terminal from the Internet.

The country’s oil ministry, national oil company and a number of other companies affiliated with the ministry were hit by a cyber-attack on Sunday, according to Iranian news agency Mehr.

Iran’s deputy oil minister said the facilities were taken offline and a special cyber response team was set up.

Around 80 per cent of Iran's daily 2.2 million barrels of crude export goes through Kharg Island, located off Iran’s southern coast, which was one of the facilities attacked.

Iran has often claimed it is involved in a long-running technological war with the United States and Israel. The most recent similar attack happened in 2010, when the country’s nuclear program suffered a big blow from a worm called Stuxnet.

Stuxnet, many experts claimed, focused precisely on the computers running uranium enrichment centrifuges at Iran's nuclear facility in Natanz, destroying thousands of them and setting the atomic program back months.

Both Iranian officials and Western computer techs said that because of the complexity of the virus and the fact it had an “expiry date”, rendering it harmless after a while, it was most likely created by a government.

Fingers were pointed by Tehran at the United States, possibly with help from Israel.

The US and EU are trying to cut the country’s oil exports through a ban on the import of its crude, as well as with financial sanctions against Iran’s trade partners. Their stated goal is to force Tehran to freeze its controversial nuclear program.

Europe was among the largest buyers of Iranian crude, but is now trying to replace it with fuel from other sources. Japan and South Korea are also trying to reduce imports from Iran, although unlike the EU they haven’t set a deadline for stopping all oil imports from Iran.China, India and other refused to side with the US-sponsored effort, saying only a UN Security Council resolution would make them stop buying Iranian oil.

Comments (19)

bravewarrior (unregistered) 01.06.2012 20:33

Act of War wrote in #3This is yet another act or war against Iran. No doubt the US/UK/Israel and their Arab stooges are involved. Why doesn't the UN speak up against such actions????//// The UN, led by Kofi Annan-stood by silently while the US launched an illegal, immoral and unethical secret attack on Iraq. They were able to use their big lies to pursuade the American people, that Saddam (who we allowed to buy nerve gas components) and a former ally- had dangerous WsMD that threatened the US. They were able to plant the lie that somehow that Saddam was involved or behind 9/11. The UN, the IMF, World Bank, etc. were built since the end of WWII to establish control over a shattered world. To insure that the 'reserve currency' of the empire would guarantee economic control over everyone. While Khaddafi, Assad killed numerous civilians to put down armed revolts-some suspected of being special operations commandos, from assorted Western militaries (like Raymond Davis in Pakistan)-the sum total of documented dead were less than 20,000 combined. Meanwhile the US murdered over 2 million Vietnamese and 1 million Iraqi civilians in their unprevoked wars. The war on terror has led to the foreign policy that encompasses kidnapping Muslim 'suspects' and secretly detaining them in torture centers around the world. Obama seems to have dispensed with interrogation-prefer ring 'extrajudicial executions'. Where was the UN? Taking their Amrican bribes, like most of the corrupt politicians of the world. Pray with us brothers that Dec.21, 2012 will finally bring the long suffering world, at long last 'justice'.

+2

Undo

Soussi 24.04.2012 11:56

cyHb_BblHb wrote in #13
Seriousl y just for a tiny moment let's imagine that Anonymous were US sponsored........  they have once again created an enemy against who they are begining another war. This is a war against the planet.  I do not want this to be true. The Anonymous project was planned years ago.  I was told about it now some 10 years ago when some people wanted to recruit me.  The trick is, create an enemy that is yours, then both can fight everything and blame them for being supportif to your ennemie.  ps.: I was working in Pr.ct.r and G.mble, and was informed about all their evil cause they thaught I would join them.  I choose the right pad, even it broke my marriage/financial/s ocial life.  Today living with debts and overcome my diseases due to bad food, I feel like a winner!!!!!  Greetings to V.nc... L..ai... , the guy who told me all and is misleaded by evil!

+3

Undo

War ! 24.04.2012 08:15

Its already started. 911ers vs the 99ers ! Lieberman & Co are trying very hard to get the WTC7 demolition video off the web first, any fool can see who the real devils are, its certainly not the Iranians - but Judge Hellersteinski wants the dumb goyim to think otherwise.

+7

Undo

View all comments (19)
Add comment

By posting your comment, you agree to abide by our Posting rules

Log in to comment in full, or comment anonymously under character-limit restriction.

100 Text

– required fields

Register or

Name

Password

Show password

Register

or Register

Request a new password

Send

or Register

To complete a registration check
your Email:

or Register

A password has been sent to your email address

Edit profile

Name

New password

Retype new password

Current password

Save

Cancel

Follow us