Leaked NSA Malware Threatens Windows Users Around the World

[+Geezer 3,569]

The ShadowBrokers, an entity previously confirmed by The Intercept to have leaked authentic malware used by the NSA to attack computers around the world, today released another cache of what appears to be extremely potent (and previously unknown) software capable of breaking into systems running Windows. The software could give nearly anyone with sufficient technical knowledge the ability to wreak havoc on millions of Microsoft users.

 

The leak includes a litany of typically codenamed software “implants” with names like ODDJOB, ZIPPYBEER, and ESTEEMAUDIT, capable of breaking into — and in some cases seizing control of — computers running version of the Windows operating system earlier than the most recent Windows 10. The vulnerable Windows versions ran more than 65 percent of desktop computers surfing the web last month, according to estimates from the tracking firm Net Market Share.

 

The crown jewel of the implant collection appears to be a program named FUZZBUNCH, which essentially automates the deployment of NSA malware, and would allow a member of agency’s Tailored Access Operations group to more easily infect a target from their desk.

 

via Matthew Hickey

 

According to security researcher and hacker Matthew Hickey, co-founder of Hacker House, the significance of what’s now publicly available, including “zero day” attacks on previously undisclosed vulnerabilities, cannot be overstated: “I don’t think I have ever seen so much exploits and 0day [exploits] released at one time in my entire life,” he told The Intercept via Twitter DM, “and I have been involved in computer hacking and security for 20 years.”

 

Affected computers will remain vulnerable until Microsoft releases patches for the zero-day vulnerabilities and, more crucially, until their owners then apply those patches.

 

“This is as big as it gets,” Hickey said. “Nation-state attack tools are now in the hands of anyone who cares to download them…it’s literally a cyberweapon for hacking into computers…people will be using these attacks for years to come.”

 

Hickey provided The Intercept with a video of FUZZBUNCH being used to compromise a virtual computer running Windows Server 2008–an industry survey from 2016 cited this operating system as the most widely used of its kind.

 

Susan Hennessey, an editor at Lawfare and former NSA attorney, wrote on Twitter that the leak will cause “immense harm to both U.S. intel interests and public security simultaneously.”

 

A Microsoft spokesperson told The Intercept “We are reviewing the report and will take the necessary actions to protect our customers.” We asked Microsoft if the NSA at any point offered to provide information that would help protect Windows users from these attacks, given that the leak has been threatened since August 2016, to which they replied “our focus at this time is reviewing the current report.”

 

Asked again, the spokesperson replied that Microsoft has “nothing further to share.”

 

https://theintercept.com/2017/04/14/leaked-nsa-malware-threatens-windows-users-around-the-world/

[+Gunrunner 313]

Nope, not updating to 10, not even because of that.

[+Geezer 3,569]

Nope, not updating to 10, not even because of that.

 

Agreed. 

[TeargasHorse 287]

Me either, thanks for the info alert, Geezer.

[Fubar512 1,350]

Indeed, M$ must be quite upset that their "new" OS (it's coming up on its second anniversary), is not sparking anywhere near the amount of interest that they had envisioned.

 

http://www.zdnet.com/article/windows-10-versus-windows-7-whose-numbers-do-you-trust/

[Skyviper 1,101]

Last night they decided to roll out some beeg freaking upgrade ...  (I have no choice as my system with stank Windows 10.) M$ in deed. The sorry bastards.

[JediMaster 451]

I believe they said these vulnerabilities were patched out long ago. Only people with obsolete systems need worry.

 

Of course, far too many people hold onto obsolete systems out of being cheap or needlessly stubborn, but I have no worries at all. If you get caught by this, it's your own fault.

 

To expect a company to patch a vulnerability in 2017 for an OS released 10+ years earlier is not fiscally sound.

[+EMCON360 215]

I Dont Have A Problem With Win10 64bit But I Can See Releasing An IT Based OS To Public Can Have Quite A Steep Learning Curve To Casual Computer Users Just Had An Experience Getting My FSX To Load And Scoured The Internet For A Solution But Finally Came Up With A Solution. It Required A Registry Fix To Activate FSX Acceleration HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CURRENTCONTROLSET\CONTROL\CLASS
 \{4D36E967-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318} Had An Entry Called Out (partmgr) Which Should Of Read (PartMgr) Which Produced Activation Error Messages In FSX Without A Solution Would Have Led To A Demo Version Timer. Still Lots Of Bugs In Win10 But They Will Be Worked Out In Time Even Uploading Text Here Can Produce Errors Sometimes When © Becomes A Copywright Symbol On Pages. I Benefit From Family Members And Relatives In The Job Roles Of IT Programmers And Microchip Fabricators. Should Of Read Parenthesies C?

Edited April 21, 2017 by EMCON360