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Fast16: Pre

Securityaffairs.Co •Pierluigi Paganini • April 27, 2026

Fast16 is a pre-Stuxnet malware that tampered with precision software and spread itself. Evidence suggests links to U.S. operations during early cyber tensions. SentinelOne uncovered Fast16, a sabotage malware used in 2005, years before Stuxnet. The malicious code is written in Lua and targeted high-precision calculation software, altering results and spreading across systems. The malware […]

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This article is one source in a clustered incident — the cluster page carries the summary, timeline and every other outlet covering it.

Discovery of Fast16 Malware: Precursor to Stuxnet Targeting Iranian Nuclear Program Researchers at SentinelOne have uncovered a malware framework named fast16, which dates back to 2005 and predates the infamous Stuxnet worm by five years. Fast16 is designed to subtly corrupt high-precision mathematical computations, specifically targeting systems involved in nuclear and engineering simulations. The malware operates by embedding a Lua scripting engine within its binary, allowing it to modify outputs without detection. Its delivery mechanism resembles a 'cluster munition,' deploying multiple payloads across vulnerable systems. Fast16's discovery challenges the timeline of cyber warfare, indicating that sophisticated state-sponsored cyber sabotage efforts were underway long before Stuxnet became public in 2010. The malware's components were found to reference critical engineering software used in Iran's nuclear program, suggesting a targeted approach to undermine its capabilities. The implications of this finding extend to understanding the evolution of cyber weapons and their potential impact on national security. 17 sources 73

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Fast16: Pre

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Extracted Entities

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Malware (2)

MITRE ATT&CK (1)