Fast16: The 2005 cyberattack that sabotaged Iran's nuclear-test simulations alongside Stuxnet

Researchers confirm Fast16, a 2005 malware, was designed to subvert high-precision simulations used to model nuclear explosions by feeding engineers false data, aiming to slow Iran’s nuclear program. Unlike Stuxnet's centrifuge sabotage, Fast16 targeted simulation software (LS-DYNA and AUTODYN), potentially leaving misperceived results that delayed progress without triggering real-world explosions. Analysts say the code predates Stuxnet but operated contemporaneously, likely developed by the US, Israel, or allies to buy time in negotiations.