MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Former high-ranking Israeli defense officials cast doubts on theories that a computer virus found in venues that hosted international negotiations on Iran's nuclear program was linked to Israel, local media reported.

On June 10, the Russian cybersecurity firm LabKaspersky labs reported uncovering a virus in the computer networks of three Austrian hotels that are connected to the ongoing Iranian nuclear talks. Kaspersky did not implicate Israel directly, but said the virus it discovered bears a striking resemblance to the Duqu virus it calls "the stepbrother of Stuxnet," with the latter having been used by Israel to attack the Iranian nuclear program in 2007.

Speaking at the International Cybersecurity Conference at Tel Aviv University on Wednesday, former Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) Brig. Gen. Yair Cohen said "Kaspersky has its own interests," as quoted by the Jerusalem Post.

"It could be someone else," the newspaper quoted Carmi Gillon, the former head of Israel Security Agency, otherwise known as Shabak or Shin Bet.

At Wednesday's conference, former IDF Brig. Gen. Pinchas Barel Buchris called on Kaspersky to provide more information about "what is in the footprint," according to the outlet.

The Duqu 2.0 virus that Kaspersky unearthed earlier this month targeted the firm's private networks, as well as other businesses, governments and individuals.

By Sputnik