TEHRAN // Iran revealed yesterday that a so-called computer worm - which experts say shows unprecedented ingenuity and is unique in its ability to seize control of industrial plants - has infected the personal computers of staff at its first nuclear power plant.
But Tehran said the so-called Stuxnet malicious computer program, which has been described as the world's first cyber-guided missile, has not damaged operations at the flagship facility in Bushehr, which is due to go online within weeks. Foreign experts suspect the worm is aimed at sabotaging Iran's nuclear programme, saving Tehran's enemies from having to resort to military strikes whose repercussions could destabilise the Middle East and beyond.
A team is inspecting the infected personal computers at Bushehr to remove the malicious software, Mahmoud Jafari, the plant's project manager, told Iran's official news agency, IRNA. But he added that the worm "has not caused any damage to major systems at the plant", where unspecified problems have been blamed for not getting it fully operational earlier. Iran has the bulk of Stuxnet infections. The Islamic republic has suffered 58.9 per cent of its attacks worldwide, compared with 18 per cent in Indonesia, eight per cent in India and less than two per cent in the United States, according to Symantec, the computer-security software maker, which has been monitoring the worm's global spread.
Stuxnet made few waves in Iran until the weekend, when Iranian media picked up on a BBC report. "An electronic war has been launched against Iran," Mahmud Lia'i, an official at the ministry of mines and industry, was quoted as saying by Iran's conservative Fars news website on Saturday. "This computer worm is designed to transfer data about production lines from our industrial plants to [locations] outside the country."
Until Mr Jafari, Bushehr's project manager, spoke yesterday, Iranian officials had not divulged what sites had been attacked. Nor has any yet accused a particular foreign state of orchestrating the cyberattacks. Mr Lia'i said Stuxnet was "likely a [foreign] government project". Iranian newspapers, however, have reported suspicions voiced in the western media that the United States and, more likely, Israel, are behind the malware.
Computer experts estimate that Stuxnet would have cost at least US$3 million (Dh11m) and taken months to devise by a team of highly expert programmers, making it likely that it was created by a country rather than by individuals. In a sign of the high-level concern in Iran, experts from the country's nuclear agency met last week to discuss ways of fighting the worm that has targeted industrial plants across the country.
Meanwhile, Reza Taqipur, a top official at the ministry of communications and information technology, said on Saturday that Stuxnet had infected about 30,000 internet provider addresses in Iran. But he insisted that Iranian engineers have the expertise to create anti-virus software to clean the systems that were attacked. No crashes or serious damage to Iran's industrial computer systems have been reported so far, Mr Taqipur told Fars.
"It [Stuxnet] is like nothing we've seen before … it has the potential to take control of industrial infrastructure throughout the world," said Bulent Teksoz, Symantec's Middle East security expert, who is based in Dubai. Most malware is designed to steal or manipulate data for financial gain. Stuxnet makes no attempt to extort money. This "is the first cyberattack we've seen specifically targeting industrial control systems", Mr Teksoz said.
"The highest incidence [of infection] is in Iran now, but there may be no direct correlation between this and the motive of the attack. We can't say it's deliberately aimed at Iran just because we're seeing a higher percentage there." Symantec believes "there aren't many groups who could pull something off on this scale", but Mr Teksoz could not say whether a state is behind Stuxnet. It is "very rare to identify the source of such a sophisticated worm".
Stuxnet, first identified in June, is aimed at industrial equipment made by Siemens that is commonly used to manage water supplies, electric utilities, oil rigs, power plants and other large industrial sites. Stuxnet is able to attack computers that are not linked to the internet - usually for security reasons - by, uniquely, infiltrating them instead on USB memory sticks. The worm then replicates itself within a computer network where it can lurk undetected while causing havoc.
That Bushehr was a Stuxnet target was first suggested recently by Ralph Langner, a German industrial computer expert in an analysis on his website. He speculated that it could have been introduced into the plant's system by someone working for AtomStroyExport, the Russian firm building Bushehr. Most nuclear experts regard Bushehr, which is under strict international supervision and runs on fuel imported from Russia, to be of little use to Iran in any alleged weaponisation drive.
A likelier Stuxnet target, they speculate, would be Iran's far more controversial nuclear facility at Natanz, where spinning centrifuges are producing low-enriched uranium for power plants. The heavily fortified, underground plant could produce the fuel for use in nuclear weapons. Iran insists its nuclear programme is solely to generate electricity. Serious technical snags have bedevilled work at Natanz in the past year, according to some western experts, although it is not clear whether alleged technical problems were the result of sanctions, poor design or sabotage.
The New York Times reported last year that the US former president, George W Bush, had authorised efforts to undermine electrical and computer systems and other networks that served Iran's nuclear programme. But proving the source of cyberattacks, particularly ones as sophisticated as Stuxnet, is very difficult. Analysts say most major states, particularly China, Russia and the US, have invested considerably in cyber warfare and defence in recent years, although details remain nebulous.
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In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
RESULT
Arsenal 1 Chelsea 2
Arsenal: Aubameyang (13')
Chelsea: Jorginho (83'), Abraham (87')
Profile of MoneyFellows
Founder: Ahmed Wadi
Launched: 2016
Employees: 76
Financing stage: Series A ($4 million)
Investors: Partech, Sawari Ventures, 500 Startups, Dubai Angel Investors, Phoenician Fund
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
UK's plans to cut net migration
Under the UK government’s proposals, migrants will have to spend 10 years in the UK before being able to apply for citizenship.
Skilled worker visas will require a university degree, and there will be tighter restrictions on recruitment for jobs with skills shortages.
But what are described as "high-contributing" individuals such as doctors and nurses could be fast-tracked through the system.
Language requirements will be increased for all immigration routes to ensure a higher level of English.
Rules will also be laid out for adult dependants, meaning they will have to demonstrate a basic understanding of the language.
The plans also call for stricter tests for colleges and universities offering places to foreign students and a reduction in the time graduates can remain in the UK after their studies from two years to 18 months.
Scorline
Iraq 1-0 UAE
Iraq Hussein 28’
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
Key 2013/14 UAE Motorsport dates
October 4: Round One of Rotax Max Challenge, Al Ain (karting)
October 1: 1 Round One of the inaugural UAE Desert Championship (rally)
November 1-3: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (Formula One)
November 28-30: Dubai International Rally
January 9-11: 24Hrs of Dubai (Touring Cars / Endurance)
March 21: Round 11 of Rotax Max Challenge, Muscat, Oman (karting)
April 4-10: Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge (Endurance)
Another way to earn air miles
In addition to the Emirates and Etihad programmes, there is the Air Miles Middle East card, which offers members the ability to choose any airline, has no black-out dates and no restrictions on seat availability. Air Miles is linked up to HSBC credit cards and can also be earned through retail partners such as Spinneys, Sharaf DG and The Toy Store.
An Emirates Dubai-London round-trip ticket costs 180,000 miles on the Air Miles website. But customers earn these ‘miles’ at a much faster rate than airline miles. Adidas offers two air miles per Dh1 spent. Air Miles has partnerships with websites as well, so booking.com and agoda.com offer three miles per Dh1 spent.
“If you use your HSBC credit card when shopping at our partners, you are able to earn Air Miles twice which will mean you can get that flight reward faster and for less spend,” says Paul Lacey, the managing director for Europe, Middle East and India for Aimia, which owns and operates Air Miles Middle East.
The candidates
Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive
Ali Azeem, business leader
Tony Booth, professor of education
Lord Browne, former BP chief executive
Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist
Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist
Dr Mark Mann, scientist
Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner
Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister
Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
The specs
Engine: 2-litre or 3-litre 4Motion all-wheel-drive Power: 250Nm (2-litre); 340 (3-litre) Torque: 450Nm Transmission: 8-speed automatic Starting price: From Dh212,000 On sale: Now
Vikram%20Vedha
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Company%20profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20WallyGPT%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2014%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESaeid%20and%20Sami%20Hejazi%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFinTech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20raised%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%247.1%20million%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2020%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EPre-seed%20round%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
In numbers
Number of Chinese tourists coming to UAE in 2017 was... 1.3m
Alibaba’s new ‘Tech Town’ in Dubai is worth... $600m
China’s investment in the MIddle East in 2016 was... $29.5bn
The world’s most valuable start-up in 2018, TikTok, is valued at... $75bn
Boost to the UAE economy of 5G connectivity will be... $269bn
Take Me Apart
Kelela
(Warp)
The biog
Name: Shamsa Hassan Safar
Nationality: Emirati
Education: Degree in emergency medical services at Higher Colleges of Technology
Favourite book: Between two hearts- Arabic novels
Favourite music: Mohammed Abdu and modern Arabic songs
Favourite way to spend time off: Family visits and spending time with friends
Company%C2%A0profile
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
The Sky Is Pink
Director: Shonali Bose
Cast: Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Farhan Akhtar, Zaira Wasim, Rohit Saraf
Three stars
Padmaavat
Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Starring: Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor, Jim Sarbh
3.5/5
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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