"Stuxnet x20": Iran admits being targeted by Flame virus aimed to gather intelligence, "massive amounts of data have been lost"

(Ynet) Iranian authorities have admitted that malicious software dubbed Flame has attacked it, and instructed to run an urgent inspection of all computer systems in the country.

Iran's MAHER Center said Tuesday that the Flame virus "has caused substantial damage" and that "massive amounts of data have been lost."

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AFP: Flame virus 'much bigger than Stuxnet'

MOSCOW — A Russian computer firm has discovered a new computer virus with unprecedented destructive potential that chiefly targets Iran and could be used as a "cyberweapon" by the West and Israel.

Kaspersky Lab, one of the world's biggest producers of anti-virus software, said its experts discovered the virus -- known as Flame -- during an investigation prompted by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

Iran appears to have been the main target of the attack and the announcement comes just a month after the Islamic Republic said it halted the spread of a data-deleting virus targeting computer servers in its oil sector. [...]

Flame is "actively being used as a cyberweapon attacking entities in several countries," Kaspersky said in a statement late on Monday. Flame is "one of the most advanced and complete attack-toolkits ever discovered."

"The complexity and functionality of the newly discovered malicious programme exceed those of all other cyber menaces known to date," it added.

Telegraph: Flame virus: who is behind the world's most complicated espionage software? <-- Make sure you read this.

Update: In-depth analysis at Gismodo.