You know the computer worm I’m talking about, the one currently disrupting nuclear systems in Iran? Yeah, well, apparently they’ve found a Biblical reference in the coding.

The reference? Myrtus — a likely reference to Esther. As in the Book of Esther, an Old Testament story in which the Jews disrupt a Persian plot to destroy them. Say, whatever happened to Persia? Ah, right…

That use of the word “Myrtus” — which can be read as an allusion to Esther — to name a file inside the code is one of several murky clues that have emerged as computer experts try to trace the origin and purpose of the rogue Stuxnet program, which seeks out a specific kind of command module for industrial equipment.

Both Israel and the United States maintain covert programs to disrupt Iran’s pursuit of nuclear weapons, though Israel has specifically built-up a cyber component to combat the threat.

Here’s some good news: It’s likely that Iranians are going to become even more paranoid about their nuclear weapons program.

“The Iranians are already paranoid about the fact that some of their scientists have defected and several of their secret nuclear sites have been revealed,” one former intelligence official who still works on Iran issues said recently. “Whatever the origin and purpose of Stuxnet, it ramps up the psychological pressure.”

Hey, whatever it takes. But what if Israel didn’t develop the code? What if the reference was implanted specifically for the purpose of drawing attention away from the source and towards Israel? I mean, it seems doubtful that Israel would risk being revealed as the source of cyberwarfare just so some programmer can make a cute, symbolic pun.

It actually seems more likely now that the source isn’t Israel. Maybe China? India? I’m not sure about the technical infrastructure of Saudi Arabia but Riyadh seems like a possibility based on motive.

I doubt it’s the United States, simply because the code casts suspicion on Israel. Would Obama really make our ally in the Middle East a fall state? He’s not their biggest fan, of course, but I doubt it. If for no other reason than the risk of political fallout were the discovery to be made is too much to handle.

Who knows. Maybe it is Israel, and some programmer got sloppy. Or maybe it’s not a state at all but rather a dedicated network of computer hackers. We may never know.