MESSAGE
| DATE | 2017-11-05 |
| FROM | Ruben Safir
|
| SUBJECT | Subject: [Hangout - NYLXS] Internet of things now worries
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https://siliconangle.com/blog/2017/10/22/new-reaper-botnet-malware-infects-two-million-iot-devices/?utm_content=62590041&utm_medium=social&utm_source=linkedin
New Reaper malware infects 2 million-plus “internet of things” devices
by Duncan Riley
UPDATED 22:54 EST . 22 OCTOBER 2017
reaperiot
A recently discovered form of botnet malware has been found rapidly
spreading, with more than 2 million “internet of things” devices
believed to have already been infected.
Dubbed IoT_Reaper by security researchers at Chinese security company
Qihoo 360, the malware is based on the infamous Mirai internet of things
worm that first compromised millions of devices in 2016 — but with some
noticeable differences.
One of those differences is that Reaper doesn’t attempt to crack
passwords on targeted devices. Instead, it spreads itself using known
device vulnerabilities such as attempting to log in using a preset list
of default or weak credentials via open Telnet ports. Qihoo 360 notes
that Reaper currently has nine different packages that target
vulnerabilities in devices made by D-Link, Netgear, Linksys, AVTech,
Vacron, JAWS and GoAhead.
Putting the number of infected devices at the smaller but still
significant figure of 1 million, researchers at Check Point Software
Technologies Ltd. wrote late last week that “while some technical
aspects lead us to suspect a possible connection to Mirai, this is an
entirely new and far more sophisticated campaign that is rapidly
spreading worldwide.”
Both companies said they have not detected the Reaper botnet being used
for nefarious purposes so far, but given it has a limited number of
purposes, it’s only a matter of time until those behind it start using it.
“In terms of attacking command, although we saw support of DDoS
[distributed denial of service] attack in the source file … we have not
seen actual DDoS attack so far,” the researchers at Qihoo 360 said,
before adding that “this means the attacker is still focusing on
spreading the botnets.” The Check Point researchers noted that “it is
too early to guess the intentions of the threat actors behind it, but
with previous botnet DDoS attacks essentially taking down the internet,
it is vital that organizations make proper preparations.”
Operators of internet of things devices are advised to check that they
are not exposing vulnerable devices to the internet, to apply any
security patches that may be available for the device and, if they
detect an infected device, they should immediately take it offline.
--
So many immigrant groups have swept through our town
that Brooklyn, like Atlantis, reaches mythological
proportions in the mind of the world - RI Safir 1998
http://www.mrbrklyn.com
DRM is THEFT - We are the STAKEHOLDERS - RI Safir 2002
http://www.nylxs.com - Leadership Development in Free Software
http://www2.mrbrklyn.com/resources - Unpublished Archive
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http://www.brooklyn-living.com
Being so tracked is for FARM ANIMALS and and extermination camps,
but incompatible with living as a free human being. -RI Safir 2013
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