Russia's Kaspersky Lab anti-virus software firm is developing a new operating system for industrial users to protect them from malware attacks, Kaspersky Lab head Yevgeny Kaspresky said in his blog on Tuesday.

The new product will feature “a secure operating system designated for Industrial Control Systems (ICS)” and will differ from operating systems for home or office use. The new system is not intended for Half-Life games, video editing or communication in social networks, Kaspersky said, without specifying when the software will be released or the terms of its distribution.

The new OS will take into account the specifics of industrial software, which has a closed status, is seldom updated and cannot switch off a module affected by a malware attack. The new system will be specifically designed to prevent outside code interference, he said.

Modern industrial systems have recently come under damaging virus attacks, including the Stuxnet worm attack on Iran's Natanz nuclear enrichment facility, the Duqu malware intended to steal data from protected computers, and also the Flame and Gauss cyberweapons, Kaspersky said, adding more serious threats should be expected in the future.