Assault is the most feared stage of any cyber-attack. It is where the attacker does damage exceeding the data and software. An attacker might disable or alter the functioning of the victim's hardware permanently. The attacker focuses on destroying hardware controlled by the compromised systems and computing devices.
A good example of an attack that got to this phase is the Stuxnet attack on Iran's nuclear station. It was the first recorded digital weapon to be used to wreak havoc on physical resources. Just like any other attack, Stuxnet had followed the previously explained phases and had been residing in the facility's network for a year. Initially, Stuxnet is used to manipulate valves in the nuclear facility, causing the pressure to build up and damage a few devices in the plant. The malware was then modified to attack a larger target, the centrifuges. This was achieved in three stages.
The malware was transmitted to the target computers through USB thumb drives, since they were...