The DIR's 265 employees remain on Windows XP and Mac OS X, Duncan said. Windows users are likely to skip Vista entirely and upgrade to the upcoming Windows 7 operating system, he added, because of the timing of the agency's regular upgrade cycle. 99 clones mac os. 'We're not holding off as a reaction to what Microsoft is producing,' he said. A new Mac backdoor exploiting CVE-2011-3544 (a Java vulnerability) is being reported. Free no deposit bonus codes for silver oak casino. The backdoor appears to be connected to GhostNet. The malware is being used in targeted attacks against non-governmental organizations (NGO). Ghostnet Gmbh IP Addresses as of April 29, 2020, 12:30 pm GMT. Next update in 11 hours, 10 min. Koobface is a network worm that attacks Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux platforms. This worm originally targeted users of networking websites like Facebook, Skype, Yahoo Messenger, and email websites such as GMail, Yahoo Mail, and AOL Mail.
| Common name | Koobface |
|---|---|
| Aliases |
|
| Type | Computer worm |
| Subtype | Malware |
| Point of origin | Russia |
Koobface is a network worm that attacks Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux platforms.[1][2][3] This worm originally targeted users of networking websites like Facebook, Skype, Yahoo Messenger, and email websites such as GMail, Yahoo Mail, and AOL Mail. It also targets other networking websites, such as MySpace, Twitter,[4] and it can infect other devices on the same local network.[5]Technical support scammers also fraudulently claim to their intended victims that they have a Koobface infection on their computer by using fake popups and using built-in Windows programs.[6][7][8]
Infection
Koobface ultimately attempts, upon successful infection, to gather login information for FTP sites, Facebook, Skype, and other social media platforms, and any sensitive financial data as well.[9] It then uses compromised computers to build a peer-to-peer botnet. A compromised computer contacts other compromised computers to receive commands in a peer-to-peer fashion. The botnet is used to install additional pay-per-install malware on the compromised computer and hijack search queries to display advertisements. Its peer-to-peer topology is also used to show fake messages to other users for the purpose of expanding the botnet.[10]It was first detected in December 2008 and a more potent version appeared in March 2009.[11] A study by the Information Warfare Monitor, a joint collaboration from SecDev Group and the Citizen Lab in the Munk School of Global Affairs at the University of Toronto, has revealed that the operators of this scheme have generated over $2 million in revenue from June 2009 to June 2010.[9]
Koobface originally spread by delivering Facebook messages to people who are 'friends' of a Facebook user whose computer had already been infected. Upon receipt, the message directs the recipients to a third-party website (or another Koobface infected PC), where they are prompted to download what is purported to be an update of the Adobe Flash player. If they download and execute the file, Koobface can infect their system. It can then commandeer the computer's search engine use and direct it to contaminated websites. There can also be links to the third-party website on the Facebook wall of the friend the message came from sometimes having comments like LOL or YOUTUBE. If the link is opened the trojan virus will infect the computer and the PC will become a Zombie or Host Computer.
Among the components downloaded by Koobface are a DNS filter program that blocks access to well known security websites and a proxy tool that enables the attackers to abuse the infected PC. At one time the Koobface gang also used Limbo, a password stealing program.
Several variants of the worm have been identified:
- Worm:Win32/Koobface.gen!F[12]
- Net-Worm.Win32.Koobface.a, which attacks MySpace
- Net-Worm.Win32.Koobface.b, which attacks Facebook[13]
- WORM_KOOBFACE.DC, which attacks Twitter[14]
- W32/Koobfa-Gen, which attacks Facebook, MySpace, hi5, Bebo, Friendster, myYearbook, Tagged, Netlog, Badoo and fubar[15][16]
- W32.Koobface.D[17]
- OSX/Koobface.A, a Mac version which spreads via social networks such as Facebook, MySpace and Twitter.[18]
Sxswxsxwxsxw mac os. In January 2012, the New York Times reported[19] that Facebook was planning to share information about the Koobface gang, and name those it believed were responsible. Investigations by German researcher Jan Droemer[20] and the University of Alabama at Birmingham's Center for Information Assurance and Joint Forensics Research[21] were said to have helped uncover the identities of those responsible.
Facebook finally revealed the names of the suspects behind the worm on January 17, 2012. They include Stanislav Avdeyko (leDed), Alexander Koltyshev (Floppy), Anton Korotchenko (KrotReal), Roman P. Koturbach (PoMuc), Svyatoslav E. Polichuck (PsViat and PsycoMan). They are based in St. Petersburg, Russia. The group is sometimes referred to as Ali Baba & 4 with Stanislav Avdeyko as the leader.[22] The investigation also connected Avdeyko with CoolWebSearch spyware.[20]
Hoax warnings
The Koobface threat is also the subject of many hoax warnings designed to trick social networking users into spreading misinformation across the Internet. Pogo free slot games. Various anti-scam websites such as Snopes.com and ThatsNonsense.com have recorded many instances where alarmist messages designed to fool and panic Facebook users have begun to circulate prolifically using the widely publicized Koobface threat as bait.[23][24] The 'Barack Obama-Clinton Scandal' hoax which was popular in 2010 is an example.
Other misconceptions have spread regarding the Koobface threat, including the false assertion that accepting 'hackers' as Facebook friends will infect a victim's computer with Koobface, or that Facebook applications are themselves Koobface threats. These claims are untrue. Other rumours assert that Koobface is much more dangerous than other examples of malware and has the ability to delete all of your computer files and 'burn your hard disk.' However, these rumours are inspired by earlier fake virus warning hoaxes and remain false.[23]
See also
- Computing Trojan horse
References
- ^Lucian Constantin (28 October 2010). 'New Koobface Variant Infects Linux Systems'. softpedia. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
- ^Lucian Constantin (30 October 2010). 'Linux Java-Based Trojan Might Have Been an Accident'. softpedia. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
- ^'More Information About the Koobface Trojan Horse for Mac'. The Mac Security Blog. 29 October 2010. Retrieved 20 January 2012.
- ^'US-CERT Malicious Code Targeting Social Networking Site Users, added March 4, 2009, at 11:53 am'. Archived from the original on 12 May 2009. Retrieved 18 June 2009.
- ^'Twitter Status - Koobface malware attack'. twitter.com. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
- ^Marks, Ellen (7 June 2015). 'Fake tech support warning targets Apple users'. Albuquerque Journal.
- ^Ricca, Aaron (6 April 2016). 'Warnings are out there, but people keep falling for scams'. The Kingman Daily Miner. Archived from the original on 9 April 2016.
- ^Jensen, Dreama (26 February 2016). 'Woman almost falls for computer scam'. South Bend Tribune.
- ^ abKoobface: Inside a Crimeware NetworkArchived 2012-09-14 at the Wayback Machine
- ^'W32.Koobface'. symantec.com. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
- ^Keizer, Gregg (2 March 2009). 'Koobface worm to users: Be my Facebook friend'. Computerworld. Retrieved 31 August 2009.
- ^'Worm:Win32/Koobface.gen!F'. microsoft.com. Microsoft. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
- ^'Koobface malware distribution technique - automatic user account creation on FaceBook, Twitter, BlogSpot and others'. Archived from the original on 28 March 2010. Retrieved 12 August 2009.
- ^'WORM_KOOBFACE'. trendmicro.com. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
- ^'Sophos stops new version of Koobface social networking worm'. Naked Security. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
- ^The Allure of Social Networking, describes Win32/Koobface affecting multiple social networks as described on CA's Security Advisor Research blogArchived 2011-07-22 at the Wayback Machine
- ^'W32.Koobface.D'. symantec.com. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
- ^'Intego Security Memo: Trojan Horse OSX/Koobface.A Affects Mac OS X Mac – Koobface Variant Spreads via Facebook, Twitter and More - The Mac Security Blog'. The Mac Security Blog. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
- ^Web Gang Operating in the Open
- ^ ab'The Koobface malware gang – exposed! - Naked Security'. Naked Security. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
- ^'Facebook credits UAB with stopping international cyber criminals, donates $250,000 to school'. AL.com. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
- ^Protalinski, Emil (17 January 2012). 'Facebook exposes hackers behind Koobface worm'. ZDNet. Retrieved 20 January 2012.
- ^ abKoobface - What is it Really? article at ThatsNonsense.com, Retrieved on 26 January 2011
- ^Koobface article at snopes.com website, Retrieved on 30 December 2010
External links
- The Koobface malware gang - exposed!, research by Jan Droemer and Dirk Kollberg.
- The Real Face of KOOBFACE, analysis by Trend Micro.
- Researchers Take Down Koobface Servers, Slashdot article.
The folks at AlienVault discovered an interesting new Mac malware attack this week.
A backdoor Trojan horse, which would allow a remote hacker to access your Mac computer without your knowledge and potentially snoop on your files and activity, has been discovered hidden inside a boobytrapped Word document.
The targeted attack relies upon a critical security vulnerability discovered in Microsoft Word back in 2009, which allowed remote code execution (MS09-027).
In a nutshell, if you open the boobytrapped Word document, a Trojan horse gets dropped onto your Mac opening a backdoor for remote hackers. Furthermore, a decoy document called file.doc is also dumped onto your drive.
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The nature of the decoy document, which claims to be about Human Rights abuses in Tibet by the Chinese, is sure to raise some eyebrows.
Inevitably there will be speculation that this attack is related to ‘Ghostnet', the alleged campaign by China to spy via the internet on pro-Tibet organisations, including the Tibetan government-in-exile and the private office of the Dalai Lama. Tune mac os.
If that's the case, then it would seem that ‘Ghostnet' is now targeting Mac users inside organisations sympathetic to Tibet and banned Chinese groups.
And don't be fooled into thinking that you are protected by Mac OS X itself, which will ask for an administrator's username and password to install software. You won't see any prompt for credentials when this malware installs, as it is a userland Trojan.
Neither the /tmp/ nor /$HOME/Library/LaunchAgents folders on Mac OS X require root privileges – meaning that software applications can run in userland with no difficulties, and even open up network sockets to transfer data. Rugby nations 18 mac os.
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Sophos anti-virus products detect the malformed Word documents as Troj/DocOSXDr-A and the Mac backdoor Trojan horse as OSX/Bckdr-RLG. The servers that the malware attempts to communicate with have been categorised by Sophos as malware repositories since at least 2009.
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Once again, Mac users need to remember to not be complacent about the security of their computers. Although there is much less malware for Mac than there is for Windows, that is going to be no compensation if you happen to be targeted by an attack like this.
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If you're not already doing so, run anti-virus software on your Macs. If you're a home user, there really is no excuse at all as we offer a free anti-virus for Mac consumers.
Image credit: pcruciatti / Shutterstock.com
