Flame On!

A new entrant in the cyberwar against Iran seems to have been detected:

A massive, highly sophisticated piece of malware has been newly found infecting systems in Iran and elsewhere and is believed to be part of a well-coordinated, ongoing, state-run cyberespionage operation.

The malware, discovered by Russia-based anti-virus firm Kaspersky Lab, is an espionage toolkit that has been infecting targeted systems in Iran, Lebanon, Syria, Sudan, the Israeli Occupied Territories and other countries in the Middle East and North Africa for at least two years.

Dubbed “Flame” by Kaspersky, the malicious code dwarfs Stuxnet in size – the groundbreaking infrastructure-sabotaging malware that is believed to have wreaked havoc on Iran’s nuclear program in 2009 and 2010. Although Flame has both a different purpose and composition than Stuxnet, and appears to have been written by different programmers, its complexity, the geographic scope of its infections and its behavior indicate strongly that a nation-state is behind Flame, rather than common cyber-criminals — marking it as yet another tool in the growing arsenal of cyberweaponry.

And we have an old chestnut buried deep in the piece:

Kaspersky discovered the malware about two weeks ago after the United Nations’ International Telecommunications Union asked the Lab to look into reports in April that computers belonging to the Iranian Oil Ministry and the Iranian National Oil Company had been hit with malware that was stealing and deleting information from the systems. The malware was named alternatively in news articles as “Wiper” and “Viper,” a discrepancy that may be due to a translation mixup.

Yes, it was the viper and it was here to vipe your vindows.

Comments

[Jim,MtnView,Ca,USA]

Groaner alert. From a comment at KausFiles.
http://dailycaller.com/2012/05/28/does-obama-not-know-how-much-hes-spending/
comment 1: I don't think Obama understands the difference between millions, billions, and trillions.
comment 2: Axlerod came in and told Obama "More bad news, Another one of your agents was caught, this time with two Brazilian prostitutes..."
Obama then said "I have to meet this guy! How many is a Brazilian anyway?"

[NK]

"middlemen", money "laundering", mercenaries, numbered accounts, false flag operations,these are but a few of the concepts that Steve has no knowledge of.

[Steve]

"... There is still a certain international naivete' but this is rapidly dissipating as Chile has become an economic powerhouse. ..."

interesting. And there are probably agents of the Chinese government in the country working to enable China to setup plantations there to feed its population and mine for natural resources. But Chile and the US do not have to be involved all over the world, stationing troops, sailing its warships, flying drones for Turkey that keep an eye on the Kurds in exchange for who knows what from Turkey.

The wing of the republican party that supports a strong, assertive military cannot answer its critics.

[Steve]

"... "middlemen", money "laundering", mercenaries, numbered accounts, false flag operations,these are but a few of the concepts that Steve has no knowledge of. ..."

I am not sure exactly what you are referring to, but to attack another nation, whether cyber or other wise, you need a base of operations. Where is the base located from which the supposed Saudi financed attacks on Iran are launched?

[Captain Hate]

Even worse on Kimberlin http://theothermccain.com/2012/05/29/report-aaron-walker-arrested-after-maryland-hearing-on-kimberlin-case/

[Jim,MtnView,Ca,USA]

If I am understanding the argument correctly, Steve seems to be telling us the Israel puts itself first. And, that the US should keep that in mind while conducting foreign policy.

I'm just one guy. Still, Israel is way down my list of concerns. As is England. And Canada. And Poland, for that matter.
The fact that some world entities have created an anti-Israel noise machine is not of much significance. We have the same thing going on in the US against the Repub party. Should we STFU on issues so that the MFM noise machine won't be offended?
Similarly, should we shy from support of Israel to avoid offending the anti-Israel noise machine? Or would the machine simply move on to Kashmir...and Al-Andalus?

[peter]

all I can say is last night, I opened up a bottle of Spanish red that I bought for 8 bucks, and it was excellent. Silver lining, or something like that. Veraz Garnacha Calatayud

Should this wine go even further down in price, the value will be close to miraculous.

[Steve]

"... Still, Israel is way down my list of concerns. As is England. And Canada. And Poland, for that matter. ..."

now you are on the shit list. No way you will be supported if you run for president.

( notice how the tea party was pushed aside by the national republican party in the primaries. Other than Herman Cain ( nutcase ), no one ran as a tea party candidate. This despite the great success of tea party candidates for congress in the 2010 election. )

[Threadkiller]

"News today is the US is going to supply Italy with armed predator drones."

Fucking Romney...

[Steve]

"... "News today is the US is going to supply Italy with armed predator drones."

Fucking Romney...
..."

it is a chance for Romney to differentiate himself from the international war machine. Not that drones are bad, but the use of them that the US is pushing has a lot of blowback potential. God help the Syrian people when Russia and China are able to sell drones to the Syrian government. And there was news last week or so that the US is flying drones over eastern Turkey to help the Turkish government track Kurdish rebels. It became news because the Turks bombed a bunch of people who turned out to be gasoline smugglers. The Turks had been alerted by USA operated drones.

[Jane]

I just read at Gateway Pundit that Brett Kimberlin's accuser was taken into custody.

How long can we put up with this?

[GMAX]

Mel perhaps Bernie the Madeoff has a continental cousin? The banks of much of the continent have been experiencing depositor "walks" for some time now. Depositors know that when the end comes, they may be denied access to their deposits and are slowly but surely looking to keep that from happening. I am hearing about Berlin real estate and suitcased full of Euros...

[tony]

US diplomats taken out of harm's way in Syria.

Did anyone think the assassinations of Iranian scientists would have no blowback?

[tony]

"God help the Syrian people when Russia and China are able to sell drones to the Syrian government. "

No harm. Each drone would have 'Made in Russia" or 'made in China" and the results would reflect their workmanship.

[Jane]

Sorry Capn' I thought I had refreshed but clearly didn't.

[tony]

What is it about Twatters? They don't understand the internet?

They think their words are on the bathroom wall and anonymous?

Walker is like that asswipe from NC who thinks his tweets calling
Fluke, a cunt, are not posted forever on the innertubes.

[NK]

OT-- the WaPo tells us the margin of fraud in Wisc recall next week--see link-- any thoughts Henry?: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/post/wisconsin-recall-scott-walker-enters-final-week-with-edge/2012/05/28/gJQAtv3oxU_blog.html?tid=pm_politics_pop

[Danube of Thought]

I just don't know enough about what's going on in that Walker/Kimberlin matter. What were the terms of the "peace order," and what was the basis for its issuance?

[pagar]

Jane, I would like to know the answer also.
There is something seriously wrong here.

[tony]

Margin of error in Wisconsin similar to Bush/Kerrey in 2004.

The good governor might want a back-up plan....say like-

"WALKER; Texas Ranger."

Many conservatives find show business an ancillary career.

[NK]

I guess the Left doesn't read the police blotter and Court reports. In the last 3 years numerous ACORN and other leftist/Dem operatives have been charged and plead guilty to vote fraud in Milwaukee.To Wisc dems, vote fraud is a vital election strategy. The WaPo basically confirms that today.

[Captain Hate]

Hmmm, Peggy Costanza Noonan, just back from rehab being "away", was characterizing the Tea Party as a "freak show" and stating that Romney should disassociate himself from it; all to a WaPo interviewer which always has Republican interests as their highest priority. The Duke and Duke late spring offensive begins in earnest.

[Rob Crawford]

Herm. theothermccain.com is now "not responding".

Probably a coincidence.

[narciso]

Surely, Rob, using words like certain fruit are deadly weapons;

http://allergic2bull.blogspot.com/2011/12/i-respond-to-brett-kimberlins-motion.html

[narciso]

crimethink is a dangerous thing;

http://allergic2bull.blogspot.com/2012/05/did-brett-kimberlin-mock-his-victim.html

[henry]

NK, as a swag I'd put fraud at about 2% of the vote total normally. The unions are busing anyone not tied down to the polls (Milwaukee even had early voting open yesterday to pump this up), that may get a couple thousand extra votes in Milwaukee. On the flip side college students went home already and apparently didn't vote-- that will cost the fraudsters a couple thousand votes. If Walker is really +4%, then the results will show +1-2% and avoid a recount. The big question is how much fraud is going on in Racine (odd silence in the news from there) -- the Wanggaard recall is a toss-up and fraud could get the Dems the senate.

[NK]

If the Dems win the State Senate, is the Senate in session the rest of this year?

[Jane]

Dot,

All I know is what the McCain article says. But after what he did to Patterico and Erik ERikson (as well as Mccain) I'm pretty sure Walker is the wrong guy to detain.

[narciso]

'Bearded spock' nodded quietly, this is insane,

[henry]

The senate is done for the year, it would only be an "image" thing. Total crushing defeat is required.

[narciso]

This is also what Rachel Ehrenfeld has had to put up with the better part of a decade, why
Silva has to use 'pseudonyms' like Al Bakari,
to describe characters who are otherwise readily identifiable.

[narciso]

What kind of a fustercluck is this;

http://www.munseys.com/technosnarl/?p=1295

[NK]

Henry-- as usual, thanks for the report. Best of luck a week from today.

[Jane]

Here is the order DOT.

And this is the latest update at PJM: Update:

Here is an eye witness account of the hearing. Walker seems to have been cited for contempt, for interrupting the judge a time or two too often. It sounds like Judge Vaughey doesn’t understand the Internet or Google alerts well enough to be able to have an informed opinion of Kimberlin’s allegations of harassment. We should learn more about all this in a couple of hours, according to Ali Akbar of the National Bloggers Club.

[Jane]

It sounds like Walker needed a lawyer and a better judge.

[daddy]

Morning Jane,

I see DeFranco is making noise back in Boston demanding 4 debates with Squaw Lizzy.

Even tho' it is a Boston Herald story, with 237 comments already posted I think we can safely conclude that the issue has legs.

Dare to debate? Marisa DeFranco comes out swinging.

Appears to me to put Lizzy in a tough spot. She demands to quit talking about being an Indian and start talking about the issues, so now DeFRanco, coming from the left, says OKay Lizzy, lets talk about the issues.

What's a Cherokee Princess to do?

[Jane]

Hi Daddy, I don't know if you saw it, but I will ask your question of Dick on air. Do you want me to refer to you as "Daddy"? [g]

Someone posted this morning that Marisa is at least as far left as Lizzy if not more so. Nevertheless I say: Bring it on!

This weekend's convention should tell us a lot. Apparently the party is quite displeased with Fauxahontus.

[Steve]

PJB says Bill Kristol brags that everyone who is not pro Israel has been purged from the republican party.
http://takimag.com/article/how_bill_kristol_purged_the_arabists_patrick_buchanan#axzz1wHrDv2oM

FTA:
“The big story in the Republican Party over the last 30 years, and I’m very happy about this,” said Kristol, is the “eclipsing” of the George H.W. Bush-James Baker-Brent Scowcroft realists, “an Arabist old-fashioned Republican Party ... very concerned about relations with Arab states that were not friendly with Israel ... .”

[Appalled]

Steve:

To be honest, Steve, Obama's domestic policy is so botched that most of your concerns are really subsidiary this election.

[Steve]

"... To be honest, Steve, Obama's domestic policy is so botched that most of your concerns are really subsidiary this election. ..."

by that logic a Tea Party candidate would have gotten the nomination.

I worry that Romney thinks the US should stay active overseas.

[Appalled]

Steve:

Only guy in your camp is Ron Paul and whoever the LP is nominating.

[Steve]

I am not a Paul fan. I favor import tariffs.

[jimmyk]

by that logic a Tea Party candidate would have gotten the nomination.

I don't follow that "logic," since the tea party is hardly the only alternative to Obamanomics. But in any case, there were no credible tea party candidates, which is not surprising, considering that the tea party only dates to 2009. Republicans, unlike Democrats, don't nominate inexperienced newbies.

[daddy]

Speaking of the Religion O' Peace:

4 Women and 2 Men have been sentenced to death for singing and dancing at wedding.

[Melinda Romanoff]

daddy-

I had no idea the Chicken Dance had words that translated into Pashtun.

[narciso]

The judge was apparently not interested in the facts,

http://allergic2bull.blogspot.com/2012/05/how-brett-kimberlin-tried-to-frame-me_2100.html

[Danube of Thought]

Ongoing dialogues with this borderline moron "steve" are mighty tedious.

[narciso]

That link doesn't work, daddy.

[narciso]

the defranco one, I mean.

[Beasts of England]

O/T: FB closes below 29. Hmm.

[Beasts of England]

@Jane

Saw another great Lizzie moniker: Lieawatha

[Jane]

I saw that one too Beasts. Love it.

We are under tornado warning. WTF?

[Ignatz]

This Aaron Walker dude is innocent and in the right but, judging by that 4:43 link of narc's he hasn't got a clue how to deal with a dude like Kimberlin.

[Porchlight]

Should this wine go even further down in price, the value will be close to miraculous.

Shhhhhh, peter...that grape from that country is some of the best value wine out there...but for goodness' sake don't tell anybody!

[daddy]

Sorry Narciso,

Here's the Boston Herald DeFranco story again:

Dare to debate? Marisa DeFranco comes out swinging

Jane,

Call me any thing you want, but don't call me late for dinner. (My kid's always giggle at that old joke:)

BTW, Am watching FOX news (the Five) and during the ad break they just ran a TV ad to watch Erin Burnette on CNN. Things must really be getting desperate over at CNN for them to be running ads on their hated nemesis's network.

[narciso]

I think I saw a piece in the daily news (NY), daddy,although it really makes no difference, they are going into international news as their solution to their ratings slump.

[narciso]

You know i once he though he was the smarter one in the carter administration, are we sure
Obama never took his course;

http://www.mediaite.com/tv/joe-scarborough-concerned-over-obama-role-in-kill-list-news-of-approved-killing-reminds-me-of-lbj/

[pagar]

"they are going into international"

I don't think CNN does news, it's leftist propaganda. Maybe they renewed their contract with Saddam.

[narciso]

Well they can hire back Hezbollah bobby soxer
Octavia Nasr, for starters.

[narciso]

It looks he's out for now, but the whole thing is still insane;

https://twitter.com/AaronWorthing/status/207585597345382403

[daddy]

Charles Pierce of Esquire mag on Palin:

"Princess Dumbass Of The Northwoods."

I forget again. Which side is guilty of the War on Women?

[Captain Hate]

Is Esquire still being published? When I was in college they'd already jumped the shark. The "Dubious Achievement Awards" were kind of funny; but only kind of...

[narciso]

Now the whole publication is that way, GQ is actually worse, in the big scheme of things.

[Danube of Thought]

I liked Esquire a great deal intil around 1980. I don't think I've read a single issue in thirty years.

[Sara]

I do not hear Romney saying anything about Afg.

You should listen more, instead of making stupid assumptions.

NOBODY EXPECTS THE MORMON INQUISITION, BALBOA PARK - Republican Presidential front-runner Mitt Romney shocked the 5,000 or so people who gathered yesterday to hear his Memorial Day address in front of the Veteran's Museum. Mid-way through his speech, he seemed to lose his train of thought; then, after a confused pause, he turned to fellow Republican and United States Senator John McCain and asked, "No seriously - what are we doing in Afghanistan?"

"Every time I try to push the issue with my campaign advisers, they remind me of this or member of the War Department saying, 'We must keep going in Afghanistan so that those who have died there already will not have died in vain.' But if the whole war is basically pointless - I mean, everybody knows Al-Qaeda is holed up in Pakistan now, and that the Taliban isn't going anywhere, right? - then everybody who dies there dies in vain, right? How is it honoring the dead to pile more bodies on top of them? I'm not a veteran, but when I was working at Bain Capital, we called this sort of thing 'throwing good money after bad.'"

Romney paused, as if realizing the likely effects of his words on people who had gathered to honor America's fallen soldiers. But then he pressed on. "I know there are those of you who will bristle at my comparing conducting a war to running a business," he admitted. "But I didn't start this. I mean, just look at President Obama's language surrounding the troop withdrawal: 'Winding down the war in Afghanistan.' You don't 'wind down' a war. You wind down a business operation. You win a war or you lose a war. Am I right, John?" he asked, turning back to Senator McCain.

When McCain offered nothing but a murderous glare in reply, Romney turned again to the crowd. "Now President Obama has the Secretary of Defense telling everyone that 'we're not going anywhere,' that we'll have a presence in Afghanistan clear through 2024. Because why? Because by then, Afghanistan will love America and democracy and Enlightenment notions of human society? I just don't get it."

[Jane]

You should listen more, instead of making stupid assumptions.

When I read this I assumed a troll had written it.

[Sara]

When I read this I assumed a troll had written it.

Yes, Jane, that's me. A troll who never puts our brave military first or is the most avid Romney supporter here.

I didn't say I was jumping for joy, just that Steve is wrong when he says Romney doesn't speak of Afghanistan. Of course in the same speech and in nearly every speech where the subject comes up, Romney says he wants the American military to be the strongest in the world.

I know I'm sick of playing war. We either get the job done and allow the military to win the damn thing or we admit our heart isn't in winning and get out.

[AliceH]

Pretty funny, Sara. (You were kidding, right?)

That cut/paste @ 6:59 appears to be from The San Diego Reader, in the "Almost Factual News" section.

[Sara]

Yes AliceH. Here is what was actually said. Video

[narciso]

It's a good question, what are we doing there, any gains we may hava had from counterinsurgency, have been squandered
by the 'redeployment, Karzai's tacit endorsement of the Koran riots, just left
a bad impression, as for Pangwai, it was a tough slog seemingly without a point,

[Danube of Thought]

Actually, the sentiment expressed in the San Diego Reader version pretty much mirrors my own. But no sane politician dare say it that way.

Those are simply magnificent men getting killed over there--perhaps even better than the country deserves, or has any right to expect. And their deaths at this point do nothing to advance American interests. They are fighting there, and will leave there, according to a timetable established for purely domestic political reasons.

[Gus]

Danube, did you see "tony" posting today??

[Captain Hate]

Well stated, DoT.

[Ignatz]

Geez, I was getting ready to cheer for Romney until Alice wrecked it.
Way to kill the buzz, Alice. :)

[Sara]

Those are simply magnificent men getting killed over there--perhaps even better than the country deserves, or has any right to expect. And their deaths at this point do nothing to advance American interests. They are fighting there, and will leave there, according to a timetable established for purely domestic political reasons.

Exactly.

[Gus]

Obama has been decisive and a leader on Syria, and I imagine he will continue to be a pu$$y, until something happens to Assad, and then he'll take credit.
What a buffoon and a coward.
Obama'a a CUFFOOON.

[Danube of Thought]

"Danube, did you see 'tony' posting today??"

Yes I did, Gus, but I really couldn't figure out what, if anything, he was trying to say.

[AliceH]

Sorry for ruining the moment, everybody.

[narciso]

tony seems likes one of our usual nazguls,

[Sara]

Mitt Romney has officially clinched the nomination. Thank you Texas.

[Jane]

Yes, Jane, that's me. A troll who never puts our brave military first or is the most avid Romney supporter here.

I'm not sure what insulting someone has to do with support of the military or Romney - except you don't win anyone over.

I actually agree with Romney's position, it was just this line that made me think it was a troll:

You should listen more, instead of making stupid assumptions.

Hey I can be as terse as anyone else, including you, but it's how it came across.

[Sara]

Jane: Do me a favor and stop lecturing me and lighten up for Pete's sake.

[Gus]

Danube. tony...is a PITZER man.

[Gus]

Narciso, tony is regular here.

[Jane]

You're right Sara.

[Chubby]

I'm glad that W's Afghanistan policy has been vindicated. Obama campaigned on Bush being an idiot who was fighting the wrong war and that Afghanistan was the right war. Callow Obama was wrong, and Bush was right.

[Steve]

"... I didn't say I was jumping for joy, just that Steve is wrong when he says Romney doesn't speak of Afghanistan. Of course in the same speech and in nearly every speech where the subject comes up, Romney says he wants the American military to be the strongest in the world. ..."

I would like to see the actual article that Romney's Afg comments were excerpted from. It almost reads as a parody written by an isolationist publication.

I have read comments by Romney on Afg where he sounds like he would not continue the fighting there. But, on the larger view he seems to say he would have the US attacking Iran if it does not discontinue its nuke program. And I worry that he is being played by Bibi. Why does the US need troops in Korea? Why are we sailing our Navy all around the world? Romney stating directly he would keep the US military well funded says to me he would continue to have the US entangled in overseas affairs. Obama is 10x worse on this score since he is using the US military to pursue his policy of 1 world government. I just do not see an advantage from the US projecting power overseas.

[Steve]

"... I'm glad that W's Afghanistan policy has been vindicated. Obama campaigned on Bush being an idiot who was fighting the wrong war and that Afghanistan was the right war. Callow Obama was wrong, and Bush was right. ..."

I agree completely. But who in the republican party has this as their public position? No one with a national voice is willing to question the current WOT policy.
This despite the fact it would be a huge political win to paint Obama as a war monger and willing to sacrifice American lives for political and ideological reasons.

[BR]

Stuxnet
DuQu
Viper Wiper Flame
Now Dround all Grones