Mysterious 'Myrtus' Biblical Reference Spotted in Stuxnet Code

by Warren Riddle on October 1, 2010 at 09:50 AM

The powerful and dynamic Stuxnet worm has completely baffled security experts since its discovery in June. The mysteriously imperceptible and untraceable mega-malware has disseminated through various machines and facilities in Indonesia, India, Pakistan and Russia, but a recent attack on an Iranian nuclear facility has sparked a global firestorm of publicity and conjecture. Now, some analysts believe an incriminating clue may have been discovered within the worm's code. Since the complex malware's path grows increasingly intriguing and cinematic, though, the clue's associations could merely be a deceptive exercise purposefully intended to implicate innocent and obvious Iranian rivals.

"Myrtus," the name of a specific Stuxnet file, serves as a solitary and linguistically intricate hint. Myrtus could simply refer to the myrtle plant, which is indigenous to -- and prevalent in -- various Mediterranean, Middle Eastern and North African areas. But, according to the New York Times, linguists and Biblical scholars also contend the term's usage could refer to the Book of Esther in the Bible's Old Testament. Queen Esther's original Hebrew name was reportedly "Hadassah, which is similar to the Hebrew word for myrtle." In the Book of Esther, Jewish forces -- after unraveling a Persian attack plan -- stage a preemptive and successful assault against their adversaries.

Given Iran's constant apocalyptic threats against Israel, that linguistic relationship could obviously indicate Jewish or Israeli involvement. Analysts also believe the U.S. could be at least partially responsible for the worm, because of the nation's top-secret, cyber-intelligence program and its prominent efforts to undermine Iran's development of nuclear facilities. Some observers also believe Stuxnet specifically targets Siemens equipment, while others assert that Russian agents could have planted an infected USB stick in the Iranian facility while performing contract work.

So, although the "clue" bestows an enthralled media with a fascinating and provocative storyline, it really serves no other purpose than to inspire even more confusion and suspicion. Stay tuned: hopefully, this entangled, captivating and incendiary tale of international cyber-espionage will continue to unravel.

Tags: cyberattack, cybersecurity, cyberterrorism, iran, IranianNuclearProgram, military, myrtle, nuclearweapons, security, stuxnet, StuxnetWorm, top

source: The New York Times

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pamOct 1st 2010 10:26PM

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That's quite a stretch.

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RugulahOct 1st 2010 7:28PM

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@(Unverified) I have a friend who owns a bulldog named Myrtle. Perhaps this dog is using this computer worm to announce herself as the new queen of the dogs. I mean, you never know....

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maddog4hireOct 8th 2010 4:34PM

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@(Unverified) a stretch yes but it seems a stretch that the IDF would sit on its hands this long while iran creeps closer to nuke use. unless they have been using their hands to write code and peacefully fight the persia empire

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jagktbsOct 1st 2010 4:49PM

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GAWD!!!!!!!
My left foot was talking to my right foot about this very thing the other day and both decided that the moon is made of green cheese but you can't eat it because, as we all know - green is sacred.

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marcOct 1st 2010 6:25PM

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Really? Really? So,"Hadassah, which is similar to the Hebrew word for myrtle" is the clue on which to blame this on Israel and possibly the United States? How do you make that jump? Iran is on the verge of attempting the removal of Israel from the map and this is what we are focused on? I am extremely proud of America (my country) and our close ally, Israel. I find it offensive that blame is pushed onto Israel and/or the US for every "unfortunate" problem we face.

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duncanstptOct 1st 2010 6:57PM

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@(Unverified) Americans will gladly take the blame for this virus. I am proud that we have made an offensive strike. God bless our brothers in Israel.

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ShilohOct 1st 2010 8:31PM

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If this worm has infected computors in India, Indonesia, Pakistan and Russia, then was discovered in Iran, why do we believe Iran was the target. It is definitely a good thing if it helps slow down Irans' nuclear buildup, because they don't have peaceful intentions to their neighbors, especially Isreal and USA. As far as relating it to the Bible, no. I am an engineer/theologan, and I see we take the Bible out of context too much of the time. The Bible was written to teach us of our origins, about creation, about our fall, about a redeemer, about the last days, about making a choice in this lifetime which seals our final destiny.

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malbabbinOct 6th 2010 5:56AM

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I find that we cannot see the wood for the trees! If this Stuxnet worm has put the spanner in the works for Irans illicit nuclear program than I say well done to the brilliant individuals who developed it, wherever they come from. Perhaps this will help save us from a nuclear conflict for several more years?

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pamOct 1st 2010 10:28PM

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Ha ha - so funny - Mrytle - queen of the dogs - that makes as much sense as this so-called theory.

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mark@mdl4.comOct 4th 2010 6:17AM

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I like how everyone is going after these obscure "Myrtus" references. 'Myrtus' is probably short for "My RTU's." RTU stands for Remote Terminal Unit in SCADA environments.

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