stuxnet

And the attacker is related to Stuxnet in some way.

We already know Stuxnet was made by the US and/or Isreal to hurt the Iranian nuclear program.

Americans realizing our impact on the situation might realize sanctions and Stuxnet aren't going to help us in the long-term.

Part of stuxnet was believed to be able to overcome the installed package checking mechanisms.

They'd much rather just firewall the tills and hope they don't suffer a stuxnet.

Beyond the Stuxnet episode and the subsequent Mossad/CIA assassination the history here is dense.

But Stuxnet harmed nobody and nothing until it was hooked into physical hardware.

Also, I recall reading that the NSA relied in part on independent consultants in developing Stuxnet etc.

And of course the detailed analysis of Stuxnet is great as well.

Embargoing them and attacking them with Stuxnet is just evil.

Ever head of a little virus called stuxnet?

Even that stuxnet is an US intelligence creature is not a 100% fact; there were strong evidence to support that, but we don't know 100%.

I'm in the middle of reading "Countdown to Zero Day", the book about Stuxnet.

How many embedded controllers are out there waiting to be pwned by something even half as sophisticated as Stuxnet?

Even their most famous malware (Stuxnet and Flame) were carefully designed only to screw over certain people.

So, while taking over the flight controls in flight seems unlikely, some variant on a Stuxnet-type attack might be possible.