'Flame' Malware Designed For Spying, Not 'Cyber War'

by Tom Gjelten, NPR

The latest entrant in the arsenal of advanced cyber packages deployed by governments or corporations for use against their adversaries is a piece of malicious software dubbed "Flame." The malware contains a wide variety of espionage tools, including a feature that activates the internal microphone in personal computers and enables the user to monitor a target's conversation. In terms of sophistication, Flame has been compared to the Stuxnet worm, which can physically destroy industrial equipment. But experts say Flame is not a cyber weapon and its emergence as another espionage tool is not without precedent.

Broadcast Dates

• All Things Considered, May 29, 2012