Pierluigi Paganini February 20, 2012

I have just read the news that Iran will be banned the purchase of antivirus systems, a kind of technological embargo with clear reference to the virus Stuxnet and the need of the country to prevent further infection to any control systems of critical infrastructures, nuclear plants first.

The new has been made public by FARS news agency, Iranian Deputy National Security Minister for technical issues Ahangaran said Iran is being forced to design its own anti-virus software due to the sanctions. Ahangaran said that Iran can not update antivirus programs and combat Internet viruses because of the imposed sanctions.

International sanctions will stop the Government of Teheran to from obtaining anti-virus software, according to a senior Iranian intelligence official.  At this point it is clear in my opinion the cyber strategy against the Iran, Western governments have always denied any attribution of authorship of the powerful cyber weapon, but in this way they are doing ground burnt around Teheran.

This information, in addition to reinforcing the belief that the dangerous virus has been developed by Israeli agents and / or U.S., suggests that this Contries in cyber space are focussing their efforts on a first offensive war against Iran. Are we close to a new escalation of cyber attacks against Iran?
Recall that in recent months it has been discovered that Stuxnet was only just a product of an innovative platform for the development of malware defined “tilded platform” and certainly the innovative designers behind its production are still engaged in the project of new agents. Is the time to use them?

I find the penalty somewhat questionable for the following reasons:

• The cyber space, as I have repeatedly said, has no boundaries, the potential effects of a cyber threat against a specific target may be recorded far from thousands of miles away. We know that half the world’s critical infrastructures are still too vulnerable, and measures such as those under discussion can facilitate the release of agents that could change for many reasons and end up infecting systems across the world. Are we really prepared for this?
• Operating in this way it is intended to push Iran to a production of its own defense instruments. I personally think that this fact was long considered by Iran. Do not forget also the cyber iranian alliances, especially the one with China. Ridiculous to think that in this way it will be able to make the country more exposed than it is today. Do not forget the financial resources of Iran resulting from the profits of the oil market. Just as oil is in my opinion the main reason for such silly skirmishes.

Sanctions such as these under discussion have a symbolic value, a provocation to which it is expected a reply to justify a military operation, this is the new Cold War. It might expect a response of Teharan especially on the energy sector, the Iranian government knows the difficulties that are facing the west countries and the weight on their future of the oil crisis.

While I’m writing news agencies spread the news that Iran has decided to stop selling oil to the French and British oil companies. This was announced by the spokesman of the Iranian Ministry of Petroleum, Alireza Nikzad, quoted by the official website of the Ministry.
“The sale of British and French oil companies is suspended,” said Nikzad.

In recent days, Iranian sources had announced the suspension of oil supplies to several European countries, including Italy.

Is the drop of oil that will break the glass?

Pierluigi Paganini