The Secret Cyberwar is Here: Director Alex Gibney on 'Zero Days' Documentary, Stuxnet & Cyberweapons

"The potential for enormous destruction and loss of life is palpable when it comes to cyberweapons," says Alex Gibney, director of the new film Zero Days, which delves into the creation, deployment, and implications of the Stuxnet virus. Stuxnet, a self-replicating cyberweapon launched by the U.S. and Israel into the Natanz nuclear plant in Iran, was an effort to thwart Iran's nuclear progress by taking control of the plant's centrifuges, spinning them until they would explode. "The reason it is hugely significant is it is the first time a computer code has crossed the threshold from the realm of cyber to the realm of the physical. So it is blowing stuff up."

"It was a brilliant and elegant weapon which achieved a goal of slowing down Iran's path to being a nuclear power. However, as a precedent, it was extremely dangerous because it was an attack on critical infrastructure during peacetime. Had that been done to us we would have been within our rights to start a war."

While Zero Days unfolds as a detective story, following the cybersecurity experts at Symantec who discovered the Stuxnet virus, a good portion of the film portrays the continued secrecy of cyberwarfare, something Gibney finds both frustrating and dangerous.

"We know that Stuxnet was launched by Israel and the United States against Iran. The United States won't admit that. Israel won't admit that," says Gibney. "We have a situation now where the weapons have gone way beyond Stuxnet in terms of their sophistication and their destructive power. Yet by keeping that offensive cyber-capability secret we deprive everybody in this country–in a democracy–from having any kind of debate over how and when and why they should be used. So the secrecy is actually putting us in existential risk in this case."

Gibney sat down with Reason TV to discuss the film, whether cyber-weapons are analogous to nuclear weapons, and whether he considers himself a "conspiracy factualist."

Approximately 10:30 minutes. Produced and edited by Meredith Bragg. Cameras by Todd Krainin and Austin Bragg.

[kenjboyd]

Thanks & praise to Alex Gibney and reason.com for the clear presentation of what's really going on. Most of it is invisible, so most people still don't understand the seriousness of it. By the time the majority sees & understands it, it may be too late.

[cortarelva]

Ordinary people going about their own little lives have no ideia of the dangers we are in today.
Forget nuclear war this is way worse.

[BrennanVest]

The funny thing is if the US is denying it and saying it’s classified, saying that it’s classified already states we did it because if we didn’t then we’d tell everyone everything we know.

[sunandmoon]

welcome to the world of cyber warfare my fellow humans ! what about PEACE ?

[jarednielsen]

Alex Gibney is a smart man without a doubt. and he has very legit concerns.
but on the other hand, there are MANY subjects that are Very classified even today.
I don't think that sharing the knowledge that the US+Israel capabilities would benefit the average person.
but I totally understand his point of view and respect him. there are some subjects that are better off not being in the public domain
BTW. Israel is our insurance policy. the US and the Israeli's have FULL trust.
Israel is the US number One asset. and the same for the Israeli's

[AKlover]

HOW ABOUT MOVING NECESSARY INFRASTRUCTURE OFF OF INTERNET CONNECTIVITY. accidental cap lock.

[freedom_aint_free]

Director: "It's the first time that code has crossed the path between cyber and start to blown things in the real world" ---> Really? Have you ever heard about those things called missiles? Do you know how much computer power went into those tomahawks that totally trashed Saddam army?

[avroB]

The CIA wrote some software that blew up a Russian pipeline in the Reagan era. (It was the Russians' own fault for stealing it, though.)

[kellykitkat]

You have a computer with supercool software, a beautiful machine... they do not grow on trees, so it seems immoral to wreck such.

[roddyer]

What do you &/or Alex Gibney think about Julian Assange and Edward Snowden?

[Itisallagame]

He definitely works for Iran. He literally said why can the US attack Irans uranium enrichment facilities but Iran can't attack the US. Yes obviously! Iran should not have nuclear weapons period and yes the US should and must have all the nuclear weapons. He even says they have a right to take legal action LOL. I guess the North Korean leader is his hero as well.

[AkashMishra]

People understand this, This is not about the weapons itself, It's about Capability, You don't see countries with Single Nuclear Weapon Systems, It's about the Power and Will of a Nation State Supported Cyber Offence Command.

[Itisallagame]

For having made a documentary about an advanced state developed computer virus this guy doesn't even get the basics of why the government can't talk about the capabilities they have. Obviously the government can't come out telling everyone what their computer hacking abilities are. That literally defeats the purpose of having this capability.

[bubbanskimeh]

Its interesting that the NSA can get away with so much and yet someone can get out a full documentary with details without any retaliation. I smell b.s. also why all the special effects and mood music?

[MultiGatoferoz]

jajajjajaj human minds we start every war but we are nit the ones to end it jajjajajja

[ShellYoung]

It's funny how they call them "cyberweapons" which in fact are not weapons at all, they are cyberviruses and they all depend on host's vulnerability.

[scottlynn]

Bringing the public into this disscussion is not a good idea. I think the right to vote in a democracy should be a privilege

[EricCartman]

Q: Who knew the Obama administration was going to be worse than the Bush administration?
A: Anybody who actually researched what Obama had said and did prior to becoming president.