Further research into the sophisticated computer virus used to hack into hotels where the Iran nuclear talks took place has found it took advantage of digital credentials stolen from the world's top electronics contract maker Foxconn.
Russian security company Kaspersky Lab said on Monday researchers learned the Duqu 2.0 virus had redirected computer traffic by using a legitimate digital certificate from Taiwan's Hon Hai, also known as Foxconn, according to Reuters.
Foxconn customers have included many of the world's biggest electronic makers, including Apple, Blackberry, Google, Huawei and Microsoft.
Kaspersky revealed its initial findings in a report last week in which it said it found the virus in conferencing equipment at three European hotels used in talks involving Iran and six world powers, among other targets.
Digital certificates are the credentials which identify legitimate computers on a network. They act as the basis of e-commerce and other largely automated transactions on the Web.
The major powers have been negotiating with Iran on its nuclear program. The talks to reach a comprehensive nuclear deal have been held in Geneva, Lausanne, Montreux, Munich and Vienna since last year.
Both Moscow-based Kaspersky and US security company Symantec Corp said the virus shared some programming with previously discovered espionage software called Duqu, which security experts believe to have been developed by Israelis.
