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When Hacked PCs Self-Destruct

Posted by timothy on from the fate-blesses-you-with-a-chance-to-reinstall dept.

An anonymous reader writes "From The Washington Post's Security Fix blog comes a tale that should make any Windows home user or system admin cringe. It seems the latest version of the Zeus Trojan ships with a command that will tell all infected systems to self-destruct. From the piece: 'Most security experts will tell you that while this so-called "nuclear option" is an available feature in some malware, it is hardly ever used. Disabling infected systems is counterproductive for attackers, who generally focus on hoovering as much personal and financial data as they can from the PCs they control. But try telling that to Roman Hüssy, a 21-year-old Swiss information technology expert, who last month witnessed a collection of more than 100,000 hacked Microsoft Windows systems tearing themselves apart at the command of their cyber criminal overlords.'"

42 of 418 comments (clear)

  1. I witnessed it too! by fractalVisionz · · Score: 4, Funny

    It looks like slashdot was taken down by the self destruct too!

    1. Re:I witnessed it too! by arndawg · · Score: 2, Funny

      You should get a dog to protect you from these steroid infected hackers.

  2. Remember... by Archaemic · · Score: 5, Funny

    Hackers can turn your home computer INTO A BOMB

    1. Re:Remember... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      The article is slashdotted right now: are these malware authors calling the Windows self-destruct function, or did they roll their own?

    2. Re:Remember... by Killer+Orca · · Score: 5, Funny

      Great, between this and the looming threat of wireless routers, http://miscellanea.wellingtongrey.net/2007/05/27/the-truth-about-wireless-devices/ we're all doomed.

    3. Re:Remember... by A+beautiful+mind · · Score: 4, Funny

      ...and blow your family to smithereens!

      --
      It takes a man to suffer ignorance and smile
      Be yourself no matter what they say
    4. Re:Remember... by TrebleMaker · · Score: 5, Funny

      Hackers can turn your home computer INTO A BOMB

      Yeah, let's see MacGyver do THAT!

      --
      In Soviet Russia a beowulf cluster of these things imagines you welcoming your new, neural-network overlords.
    5. Re:Remember... by supernova_hq · · Score: 4, Funny

      With all the capacitors in your computer, especially if you count the PS, there is more than enough material in a computer to make a decent bomb.

    6. Re:Remember... by Razalhague · · Score: 5, Funny

      Meh, MacGyver uses local exploits. It's a completely different matter to do it remotely.

    7. Re:Remember... by rapidmax · · Score: 4, Funny

      C'mon, they'll never use that feature, that would destrNO CARRIER

    8. Re:Remember... by Hognoxious · · Score: 4, Funny

      I think they're infinging one of Dell's patents.

      --
      Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
    9. Re:Remember... by fredrik70 · · Score: 5, Funny

      OMG, that looks exactly like my wifi router back home! and my gf is working from home today!

      noes!

      --
      if (!signature) { throw std::runtime_error("No sig!"); }
    10. Re:Remember... by Shamenaught · · Score: 5, Funny

      Given the amount of porno on this machine, that'd be a dirty bomb :-O

      --
      mysql> SELECT * FROM `places` WHERE `place` LIKE 'home`; Empty set (0.00 sec)
    11. Re:Remember... by WaZiX · · Score: 2, Funny

      OMG, that looks exactly like my wifi router back home! and my gf is working from home today!

      noes!

      It's ok... now you'll finally fit in with the /. crowd!

    12. Re:Remember... by Antique+Geekmeister · · Score: 2, Funny

      Only if he's already installed Linux on his girlfriend.

    13. Re:Remember... by Lumpy · · Score: 5, Funny

      Only if you piss on it. You really need that urea to finish the explosives.

      how many people will stand up and piss all over the computer just because a pop-up tells them to?

      "Stand up and pee into your computer and enter to win $1,000,000!!!!!!"

      --
      Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
    14. Re:Remember... by TheRaven64 · · Score: 3, Funny

      You're thinking about desktops - what about all of those laptops with Sony batteries?

      --
      I am TheRaven on Soylent News
    15. Re:Remember... by sumdumass · · Score: 3, Funny

      KDE of course. Gnome is slick but it tends to do what it wants instead of what you want. As a fine Linux user named Linus once said, Gnome eventually treats you like an idiot.

      So it's KDE of course. You might miss on the looks a little but at least you can convince her to do some things she wouldn't normally want to do. And if the looks are really that bad, just install a theme (boob job) and don't look back.

    16. Re:Remember... by v1 · · Score: 2, Funny

      The caps and the burning circuit board do not meet mydefinition of bomb

      You've obviously never had to "clean out the confetti" in a computer or power supply...

      --
      I work for the Department of Redundancy Department.
    17. Re:Remember... by CSHARP123 · · Score: 3, Funny

      Don't worry. I know where your house is. I am not doing anything and I don't have a GF so I will take care of her.

    18. Re:Remember... by Archangel+Michael · · Score: 3, Funny

      I did that once, with a journaling file system, and now, my girlfriend never goes down on me ... ever! I like the stability of the relationship, but I seem to miss something.

      I think I'm going to get one of those Windows Girlfriends.

      --
      Agent K: A *person* is smart. People are dumb, stupid, panicky animals, and you know it.
  3. All Versions of Windows affected by Erythros · · Score: 3, Funny

    All versions of windows are affected by this self-destruct bug,

    BY DEFAULT!!!!

    There are many series of commands that can make your machine unwillingly self destruct...

    1. Re:All Versions of Windows affected by daid303 · · Score: 5, Funny

      You don't need any commands for that. Just let it run for a while.

    2. Re:All Versions of Windows affected by noidentity · · Score: 2, Funny

      All versions of windows are affected by this self-destruct bug, BY DEFAULT!!!! There are many series of commands that can make your [Windows] machine unwillingly self destruct...

      Apparently there's also a set of commands on a special CD-ROM that once inserted can close all these vulnerabilities.

  4. I can't wait to see.... by lordofthechia · · Score: 5, Funny

    The next "I'm a PC, I'm a Mac" commercial is gonna rule!

    Mac: Umm... PC.... why are you stabbing yourself repeatedly with that pen...

    --
    Georgia Tech, the leader in Chia(tm) technology.
  5. Upgrading the hard way by Virtually+Sane · · Score: 5, Funny

    The things Microsoft will do to make you upgrade to Vista :)

  6. Re:Is physical destruction even possible? by Krisbee · · Score: 3, Funny

    If windows controls the fans, you could possibly make the system work really quiet :-] ...

  7. Re:Auto destruct by noundi · · Score: 5, Funny

    Go home dad, you're drunk.

    --
    I am the lawn!
  8. Re:Is physical destruction even possible? by noundi · · Score: 2, Funny

    Hmm, I have some K6/K6-2 processors left from old times. This gave me an idea. I need a fire extinguisher first though.

    --
    I am the lawn!
  9. Re:WTF by MrMr · · Score: 5, Funny

    The problem is the slashdotters are in an unresolvable emotional deadlock.
    Do we cheer for destroying 100000 infested Windows installations, or do rage at the crapware producers who make this possible...

  10. Re:I hate to say it but... by Bigjeff5 · · Score: 5, Funny

    And this was no idiot - she was a well trained, college/university graduated professional!

    Just pointing out that these two things are not mutually exclusive.

    Cheers!

    --
    Security is mostly a superstition... Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. - Helen Keller
  11. Re:Leave Windows Alone by dbIII · · Score: 4, Funny

    Of course. MS Windows security is like her underwear. Even when it is on it is excessively complicated, doesn't cover much and is very easy to remove.

  12. thats easy to code by cheekyboy · · Score: 2, Funny

    Just stop all the fans on cpu and gfx cards.

    Use 100% cpu, and tax the GFX core.

    Send some hardcore full power commands to all USB devices, or use full IO in usb devices.

    Make the HD seek from end to end for as long as possible.

    Send power save on / off commands real fast to the LCD until it dies.

    Spin the dvdrom up too, or turn on its laser, without a CD in it.

    That baby will melt in minutes.

    --
    Liberty freedom are no1, not dicks in suits.
  13. I know what it means to have a 1.6 diesel! by Viol8 · · Score: 3, Funny

    It means you go everywhere reeaaaalllllyyy slloooooowllly...

  14. Re: unresolvable by neonsignal · · Score: 2, Funny

    hip hip...

  15. Re:I hate to say it but... by u38cg · · Score: 4, Funny

    Welcome to Slashdot, where the median poster knows what a bell curve is ;)

    --
    [FUCK BETA]
  16. Re:WTF by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    The problem is the slashdotters are in an unresolvable emotional deadlock.
    Do we cheer for destroying 100000 infested Windows installations, or do rage at the crapware producers who make this possible...

    Dude, Obama's in office -- we can have it all.

  17. Re:Hardly self-destruct by dave420 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Christ get a grip.

  18. Re:WTF by INT_QRK · · Score: 1, Funny

    Don't be alarmed. That was a DHS minder who modded you down. WARNING: Sender may hold some views expressly disapproved by the Hon. Janet Napolitano, U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security.

  19. Re:WTF by Lumpy · · Score: 4, Funny

    Cheer that the Windows Malware has escalated to the point that MAYBE, just MAYBE the average joe will pay attention.

    Hey, Joe! yeah you! Windows machine can be destroyed by viruses.

    Nahhh. I doubt it. These morons will still click on every pop-up and run every attachment sent to them.

    "it told me my virus definitions was out of date in a shaking windows box. The computer must have been scared! so I clicked on it!"

    --
    Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
  20. Re:WTF by leamanc · · Score: 2, Funny

    I'd say you're right, considering that a disturbingly large percentage of Windows users I know think that their monitor is the "computer" and the mini-tower is "the hard drive." Even after I've explained it 100 times. They just look at me like, "yeah, right, Mr. Know-it-all!"

    --
    :q!
  21. Re:Question to knowledgable techs by Ash-Fox · · Score: 2, Funny

    Since then I learned more about computers and don't quite think it is possible to accomplish this feat, although would like to ask my fellow slashdotters: Is this possible, for a software to destroy the computer hardware?

    There was a virus for the Amiga that executed the HCF instruction (jokingly dubbed 'halt and catch fire') which could cause the amiga to overheat and fry - This did not have a 100% success rate.

    There was also another old virus, being for Windows that told the system to turn of the CPU fan, which caused older AMD processors to fry almost a minute after.

    Unfortunately, I can't remember the names of either viruses. But! I know of CIH, also known as Chernobyl or Spacefiller which did have a tendency to corrupt the BIOS on some effected systems, bricking them.

    --
    Change is certain; progress is not obligatory.