Basically, it is the first cyberweapon in the nuclear class. It is spread by insertion of a memory stick into a computer system rather than hacking from the outside. Once uploaded, it takes over the operating system of things like nuclear power plants, electrical grids,chemical plants, and the like and waits patiently until its self-contained instructions trigger it to take over the facility's own control system and cause the facility to self destruct. You can imagine how pleasant that might be if you happen to live next to a nuclear or chemical plant that blows up of its own accord.
Stuxnet was clearly designed by a nation, although which nation is unclear. Iran appears to be targeted at the moment, so suspicion focuses on Israel and the U.S. Perhaps. Once this genie is out of the bottle, though, we can expect a cyber race akin to the nuclear weapons race after 1945. In all likelihood, it is already going on. I hope the U.S. plays great defense too - we're going to need it.
news.yahoo.com/s/csm/20100921/ts_csm/327178
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