Free Stuxnet removal tool

BitDefender released a free removal tool targeting all known variants of the Stuxnet worm, as well as the rootkit drivers that are used to conceal critical components of the worm.

Stuxnet is a breed of e-threats that emerged around mid-July. Although it infects all Windows-based systems alike, it primarily targets SCADA systems which run the Siemens WinCC software.

The worm spreads by taking advantage of a multitude of 0-day exploits in the current versions of Windows. Moreover, it can execute itself from an infected removable medium as soon as the .lnk file on the drive which has been read by the operating system.

Successful exploitation of this vulnerability results in the injection of a backdoor, as well as the installation of two rootkits that will conceal both the .lnk files and the accompanying .tmp files.

The tool can be run on both 32- and 64-bit installations and it will eliminate both the rootkit drivers and the worm.