Around 2009, a new and powerful computer "worm" or virus was detected in Belarus. Written in a dense code that was possibly too sophisticated for cybercriminals or politically motivated hacktivists, suspicion quickly fell on one or more nation states. But who was the target? Written and directed by Alex Gibney, this Showtime-aired documentary looks at the covert world of hacking, and the creation of the "Stuxnet" virus, which was apparently aimed at Iran with the goal of destroying or delaying Iran's nuclear program. Although Iran claimed that its nuclear power was for peaceful purposes, the radical ayatollahs made no secret of their desire to wipe Israel off the map. Alarmed, Israel wanted to launch a pre-emptive strike against Iran's nuclear facilities, notably its fuel enrichment plant located in a desert region near Natanz. Speculation centered on the idea that Stuxnet was devised by the United States and/or Israel as an alternative (no one has ever claimed credit for the virus). At the same time there were mysterious gas pipeline explosions in Iran, and several top Iranian nuclear scientists were assassinated. No government officials, scientists, or security experts are willing to talk on the record about Stuxnet, which was used to infect and shatter centrifuges at the Natanz plant. Although Iranians were initially mystified, the Israelis became impatient, tipping their hand, which led to the discovery of the scheme and, in a classic case of blowback, the Stuxnet genie escaping the bottle to threaten other nations, including the United States. Featuring testimony from journalists and a composite character (portrayed by an actress) created from off the record interviews with several sources, Zero Days explores the consequences and need for rules in the dangerous new world of cyberwarfare. Recommended. [Note: DVD extras include an interview with director Alex Gibney (10 min.), and trailers. Bottom line: a decent extras package for a thought-provoking documentary.] (S. Rees)
Zero Days
Magnolia, 114 min., PG-13, DVD: $26.98, Jan. 17 Volume 32, Issue 2
Zero Days
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