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FBI: Wiper Malware Has Korean Language Packs, Hard Coded Targets

chicksdaddy sends news that the FBI has issued a warning to U.S. businesses over a "destructive" malware campaign using advanced tools. They don't name specific targets, but the information fits with the details from last week's attack on Sony Pictures, which led to the leak of several unreleased movies. A copy of the FBI's recent five-page FLASH alert reveals that the malware alleged to have wiped out systems at Sony Pictures Entertainment deployed a number of malicious modules, including a version of a commercial disk wiping tool on target systems. Samples of the malware obtained by the FBI were also found to contain configuration files created on systems configured with Korean language packs. The use of Korean could strengthen theories that the destructive cyber attacks have links to North Korea, though it is hardly conclusive. It does appear that the attack was targeted at a specific organization. The malware analyzed by the FBI contained a hard coded list of IP addresses and computer host names.

81 comments

  1. How by fnj · · Score: 4, Funny

    WTF, overwrites the MBR? What half assed OS does this attack? Windows?

    1. Re:How by GameboyRMH · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I think any OS will do it once the attacking program can gain root access, unless MBR protection is enabled in the BIOS.

      --
      "When information is power, privacy is freedom" - Jah-Wren Ryel
    2. Re:How by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I once managed to overwrite my MBR using Cygwin in Windows XP, without any sort of root password. Probably because I was logged in as administrator already.

    3. Re:How by fisted · · Score: 2

      I think any OS will do it once the attacking program can gain root access

      Nope, I don't think so. (see securelevel 2)
      (and nope, you can't defeat it *that* way. (see RB_HALT)).
      It's kind of notable that neither Free- nor OpenBSD seem to support an equivalent to the latter (all three do have the securelevel mechanism, though).

      unless MBR protection is enabled in the BIOS

      Are you living in a distant past where disk i/o still goes via BIOS?

    4. Re:How by knorthern+knight · · Score: 2

      > WTF, overwrites the MBR? What half assed OS does this attack? Windows?

      I'm a linux user, not a Microsoft fanboi, but... have you ever heard of fdisk? Or for that matter...

      dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/hda bs=446 count=1

      to wipe the MBR. If you want to take out the entire hard drive, it's

      dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/sda bs=1M

      Any OS that can be installed from USB key or a CD can do the equivalant of this.

      --

      I'm not repeating myself
      I'm an X window user; I'm an ex-Windows user
  2. Korea? by TechyImmigrant · · Score: 4, Insightful

    "Yes Sergey, I have this brilliant plan to compile the production malware on a Korean build of Windows. They'll never suspect it was us."
     

    --
    I should use this sig to advertise my book ISBN-13 : 978-1501515132.
    1. Re:Korea? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Ah, yes, more shills for the empire. Where truth is troll, and facts are flamebait.

      Bush did 9/11, and fuck all you morons that believe the government lies.

  3. As a malware analyst... by xxxJonBoyxxx · · Score: 1, Informative

    >> The use of Korean could strengthen theories that the destructive cyber attacks have links to North Korea

    Are you f***ing kidding me? It's just as likely that it was written by an English-speaking American using a pirated copy of Windows he got from a SOUTH Korean warez site.

    1. Re:As a malware analyst... by amicusNYCL · · Score: 3, Insightful

      "Just as likely"? I would imagine that, among all of the versions of Windows that have the Korean language installed, the vast majority of them are being used by Koreans rather than English-speaking Americans.

      --
      "Our two-party system is like a bowl of shit looking at itself in a mirror." - Lewis Black
    2. Re:As a malware analyst... by kruach+aum · · Score: 4, Interesting

      I would also imagine that the kind of person involved in this sort of attack is aware of the capabilities of the people investigating the attack, and that such a person would be interested in confounding that investigation by, say, pretending to be someone he's not, like a Korean language user.

    3. Re:As a malware analyst... by Spy+Handler · · Score: 2

      If you're saying it was a false flag operation (trying to make it look like it came from Koreans), it's possible. But who would do that? Normally hackers like to brag and build up their rep. It could be state-sponsored hackers from another country, but then why would China or Iran specifically target Sony Pictures? AFAIK only N. Korea has a beef with Sony.

      It's possible but not likely.

    4. Re:As a malware analyst... by Spy+Handler · · Score: 1

      Yep. Nobody accidentally downloads and installs Korean Windows. It's a fucking nightmare to install unless you speak the language. It's not like a European language where you can guess the meaning, like "oh installaciÃn must mean installation."

    5. Re:As a malware analyst... by kruach+aum · · Score: 1

      It takes like a half hour to learn to read Hangul, and then you can instantly pick out the loan words. Sopeuteuweuh for software, etc.

    6. Re:As a malware analyst... by omnichad · · Score: 1

      Normally hackers like to brag and build up their rep.

      And nobody likes to brag more than North Korea. Even if they weren't at fault, I'm surprised they haven't taken credit for it yet. I can't really account for that.

    7. Re:As a malware analyst... by Fire_Wraith · · Score: 1

      North Korea doesn't always brag about its provocations. Consider the sinking of the South Korean warship Cheonan, which was sunk by a mysterious explosion that was later assessed to have been a torpedo, while off a South Korean island within spitting distance of North Korean waters. North Korea denied any involvement (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ROKS_Cheonan_sinking). Also, while hacker and hacktivist groups tend to be quite open about claiming credit, nation-state hackers tend to be very quiet about it (I don't think any country anywhere has officially claimed credit for hacking, offhand). Given what I've read on various sites, I certainly think it's a credible theory that North Korea was behind it (Motive, Means, and it matches their style), though I certainly don't think I'd rule out other possibilities completely.

    8. Re:As a malware analyst... by dunkindave · · Score: 4, Interesting

      I like to apply Occam's Razor. Having dealt with a variety of hackers ranging from newbies up to APT, I have found almost all of them make stupid mistakes and do things like this that leak info. I have yet to see a convincing false-flag since attackers would rather hide their origin than fake it, meaning they try to remove all such info instead of putting in fake info. Given my experience I have no trouble whatsoever believing the indicators of the Korean language pack presence on the origination computers is a strong lead for where it came from. The current beef that NK has against Sony due to the upcoming film, along with they specific threats, just adds to it as corresponding motive, like the cherry on top of the sundae.

    9. Re:As a malware analyst... by gstoddart · · Score: 1

      Well, North Korea has officially said "Wait and See".

      The film, due for release on Christmas, has drawn criticism from the North Korean government, which called it an "evil act of provocation" and an "undisguised sponsoring of terrorism" and asked the United Nations to block its release. A government website also threatened the filmmakers with "stern punishment."

      Apparently the supreme, glorious little runt doesn't like being teased, and seems to think his delusional self is exempt from parody.

      If so, this would be kind of hilarious, and kind of scary ... a nation state doing this stuff because their leader tender ego is feeling bruised.

      If this is North Korea, this is all about waving around the collective penis, and posturing that he has any influence on the rest of the world.

      --
      Lost at C:>. Found at C.
    10. Re:As a malware analyst... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I can't instantly pick that out even though you've told me what it is, in English characters.

    11. Re:As a malware analyst... by Registered+Coward+v2 · · Score: 1

      Well, North Korea has officially said "Wait and See".

      The film, due for release on Christmas, has drawn criticism from the North Korean government, which called it an "evil act of provocation" and an "undisguised sponsoring of terrorism" and asked the United Nations to block its release. A government website also threatened the filmmakers with "stern punishment."

      Apparently the supreme, glorious little runt doesn't like being teased, and seems to think his delusional self is exempt from parody.

      If so, this would be kind of hilarious, and kind of scary ... a nation state doing this stuff because their leader tender ego is feeling bruised.

      If this is North Korea, this is all about waving around the collective penis, and posturing that he has any influence on the rest of the world.

      Hey, Kim was named the sexiest man alive recently so maybe they have something to be proud of waving...

      --
      I'm a consultant - I convert gibberish into cash-flow.
    12. Re:As a malware analyst... by bluefoxlucid · · Score: 1
    13. Re:As a malware analyst... by kruach+aum · · Score: 1

      That's because you can't read Hangul, and are therefore missing two pieces of key information: it doesn't have the letter f, so they use a p instead, and because of the way the symbols are constructed t becomes teu and p becomes peu. From the hangul, you can also see the syllables, so what you're actually reading is so-f-t-weh-uh, which is a pretty obvious phonetic rendering of software.

    14. Re:As a malware analyst... by AmiMoJo · · Score: 1

      After the US got caught deploying malware in Iran maybe whoever made this learned from their mistakes and made an effort to disguise the source. If the target wasn't Sony I'd be wondering if it wasn't the US.

      --
      const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
      SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
    15. Re:As a malware analyst... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Ah, the philosophy of the conspiracist. If you can't disprove it, then that proves it must be true.

    16. Re:As a malware analyst... by rHBa · · Score: 1

      But I thought Team America was produced by Paramount!

      /Joke

    17. Re:As a malware analyst... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It could be anybody. Certainly a hard coded list of computers is more than likely planted information. Language likely also. Sony has no shortage of enemys. Hackers like to brag? Not the real ones. State sponsored? Possible but there is absolutely nothing to base that on.

    18. Re:As a malware analyst... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yep. Nobody accidentally downloads and installs Korean Windows. It's a fucking nightmare to install unless you speak the language. It's not like a European language where you can guess the meaning, like "oh installaciÃn must mean installation."

      Every intelligence agency in the world has plenty of people who speaks their enemies languages fluently, that is sort of a requirement to be able to spy on them.
      If a person is tasked with writing software that specifically targets Koran computers it is more likely than not that the person writing the software is fluent in Korean, regardless of origin
      That the computer had Korean language pack installed only means that whoever wrote this wanted it to handle the environment it was supposed to run in.

      Nothing rules out Russia, China, the US (It's unlikely that NSA or CIA would inform FBI of their wrongdoings.) or any other country that are known to act like sociopaths on a global level.

    19. Re: As a malware analyst... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      it was targeting American computers. I don't see why they would need those language packs for that. I think your wrong.

  4. Finally by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Finally we have a reason to invade - Korean language packs used to terrorize.

    1. Re:Finally by AqD · · Score: 1

      when they eventually land NK they'd realize there is no PC capable of running Windows.

  5. And it was signed Kim Jong Un by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The analysis is a complete bullshit. Propaganda coming from Washington, reached another low.

    1. Re:And it was signed Kim Jong Un by DougOtto · · Score: 5, Informative

      The analysis doesn't blame Korea or anyone else, it's the media taking that route. The analysis just lists the file targets and the information you'd want to see if you have a match; e.g.

      File: igfxtrayex.exe
      Size: 249856 bytes (244.0 KB)
      MD5: 760c35a80d758f032d02cf4db12d3e55
      PE Compile Time: 2014-11-24 04:11:08
      Language pack of resource section: Korean

      It seems sans-bullshit to me.

      --
      Solving Unix problems since 1989...
  6. Ha, NORTH Korea? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    What would they have to gain from destroying or attacking Sony?

    It is seriously more likely that the South did this since, you know, they are jealous of Japanese media. (seriously)
    Groups have done this before. I remember there was one group associated with a Korean voice synthesizer (SeeU I think) that were DMCAing loads of Vocaloid videos off of Youtube a few years back in massive numbers.

    1. Re:Ha, NORTH Korea? by DigiShaman · · Score: 1

      Rootkits are an act of war. I had no idea North Korean's are such die-hard gamers.

      Encore! Encore!!

      --
      Life is not for the lazy.
    2. Re:Ha, NORTH Korea? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What would they have to gain from destroying or attacking Sony?

      What would they have to gain from attacking anything? They remained isolated and backwards. There's a direct analogy here between them and East Germany. Surely they can see what East Germany is like now, and realize they have everything to gain by re-uniting under a system run by the more prosperous country. Yet, they continue to live in literal darkness, as seen from space.

      People are not rational. They have little or nothing to gain, except to massage some primitive little center of the brain.

    3. Re:Ha, NORTH Korea? by aevan · · Score: 1

      Not sure about SeeU, but I know a few years ago I got a DMCA from 'Original Creator' with regards to vocaloid videos.

      They are part of Crypton Future Media though, the actual Vocaloid maker. Seems they have automated DMCA 'protect their customers from getting copied and denied their due profit'.

  7. Re: BEN.NETT by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Frequently please

  8. Malware? Sony? by TechyImmigrant · · Score: 5, Informative

    Is the irony of Sony being hit by malware lost on people?

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S...

    --
    I should use this sig to advertise my book ISBN-13 : 978-1501515132.
    1. Re:Malware? Sony? by xxxJonBoyxxx · · Score: 5, Funny

      >> Is the irony of Sony being hit by malware lost on people?

      At Sony, we just call it "software."

    2. Re:Malware? Sony? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      What goes around comes around.

    3. Re:Malware? Sony? by Ice+Tiger · · Score: 1

      You win the thread

      --
      "Because we are not employing at entry level, offshoring will kill our industry stone dead."
  9. Ha, NORTH Korea? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

    They have threatened repercussions if Sony releases "The Interview." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Interview_(2014_film)

  10. Corporate by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Why would a Russian give a shit? The N. Koreans are all pissed off at Sony so they have a motive.

    Anyway, who gives a shit about Sony Entertainment. Really?

    1. Re:Corporate by TechyImmigrant · · Score: 4, Funny

      Who said Russian? I know an Israeli called Sergey.

      --
      I should use this sig to advertise my book ISBN-13 : 978-1501515132.
    2. Re:Corporate by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      With American media in full propaganda war mode blaming everything on Russia (esp. every hacking scandal as of late), you using the name Sergey, which is often thought of by Americans as a common Russian name, to imply that it was another country behind the attack makes it pretty obvious where you're pointing the finger.

    3. Re:Corporate by TechyImmigrant · · Score: 1

      There's also a certain founder of Google called Sergey.

      You could substitute any name common in the country of your choice to point a finger. I used Sergey only as an example.

      --
      I should use this sig to advertise my book ISBN-13 : 978-1501515132.
    4. Re:Corporate by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Russians? It's obviously the new NK glorious leader who's a fan of american movies.

    5. Re:Corporate by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      SERGEY
      GENDER: Masculine
      USAGE: Russian, Bulgarian
      OTHER SCRIPTS: (Russian, Bulgarian)
      PRONOUNCED: syer-GYAY (Russian), seer-GYAY (Russian) [key]
      Meaning & History
      Russian and Bulgarian form of SERGIUS

    6. Re:Corporate by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Who said Russian or Israeli? I know a NSA agent named Sergey.

    7. Re:Corporate by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      cmon. all russians are jews. ask google Sergey Brin.

    8. Re:Corporate by xaotikdesigns · · Score: 1

      You know what I want. I want someone to go after Topher Grace so we can see his cut of Star Wars. Or maybe hit Jerry Lewis so I can watch The CLown that Cried

      --
      XDInd
    9. Re:Corporate by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The Great Leader trying to steal more movies, perhaps?

    10. Re:Corporate by aaaaaaargh! · · Score: 1

      The N. Koreans are all pissed off at Sony

      Not just the North Koreans, though ... also about half of all people who ever had the misfortune of owning a Sony device. Or wait, make it 2/3 ...

    11. Re:Corporate by ub3r+n3u7r4l1st · · Score: 1

      And that Sergey you have mentioned may be the greatest threat to Security & Privacy of common citizens.

    12. Re: Corporate by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I thought there were only Sergey, Pavel, Ivan, Yevgeni, Ilya and Fyodor. Did I leave someone out?
      Girls I think there are only Olga, Galina and Tanya too correct me if I am wrong my russki drushba.

  11. Seth Rogan by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ...Thanks a lot.

  12. If this is about "The Interview" .. by Rinikusu · · Score: 1

    I'm going to laugh my ass off and for SURE go see the movie. Maybe even twice. And buy the DVD.

    --
    If you were me, you'd be good lookin'. - six string samurai
    1. Re:If this is about "The Interview" .. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      It's made by Sony, so I'd get it off BitTorrent. It's the right thing to do.

  13. Sony chose to wage war against North Korea by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Interesting

    The UK, USA and NATO have all said, in the last year, that they have the 'right' to interpret psychological operations (psy-ops) by 'foreign powers' as 'ACTS OF WAR', and respond - including with the use of conventional weaponry.

    Well Sony has financed a film by a well-known Hollywood UBER-zionist specifically designed as a psy-op against North Korea and its leadership. An 'act of war' under the rules of NATO/UK/USA. And its seems that North Korea has struck back at Sony, just as NATO/UK/USA stated THEY would strike back at anyone pulling the same stunt against themselves.

    Sony is a Japanese company, but was ONLY allowed to buy its way into Hollywood when its Japanese supremo's agreed to allow Israel-friendly managers to direct Sony's film output in their desired propaganda directions. Japan has been a servant state to Israel and the USA since their defeat in WW2. Japan, for instance, was FORCED to introduce sanctions against Russia over events in East Ukraine at great financial loss, despite the fact that Israel, Saudi Arabia and Egypt (powers in the US sphere of control) were NOT required to sanction Russia, and haven't to this day (bet you Slashdot Betas didn't know that little fact).

    Sony's vicious attack against North Korea in their upcoming major Hollywood movie was a project dear to the hearts of those that really rule the USA. These 'friends of Israel' are actually DELIGHTED that the Hollywood 'outsider' has been devastated as a 'reward' for attempting to serve their zionist masters on their knees. No matter how much Sony creeps to the zionists, Sony is still loathed for daring to think it has a place in Hollywood.

    Most first class cyber-attacks emanate from Israel, usually in conjunction with their 'cousins' in East Europe nations like Ukraine. This is because Israel Military Intelligence shares knowledge of current inbuilt exploits with the NSA, and most of those within Israeli Military Intelligence have close friends in various Jewish crime gangs located across the planet. The means to attack Sony will have been carefully 'gifted' to the Koreans by the same team Sony tries so hard to please.

    What you 'earn' while you remain ON YOUR KNEES is worthless- a lesson Japan is going to learn the hard way. But when Japan finally gets off its knees, things are going to get VERY bloody in that part of the world again. But this is the age old cycle with Japan.

    To conclude with the moral of this story- when you choose to kick another country in the face, do NOT act surprised when they hit you back- hard. The US arrogance is that the US exists above all Laws of Man, and entities associated with the USA tend to inherent this depraved way of thinking.

    1. Re:Sony chose to wage war against North Korea by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Whoops. Someone forgot to feed grandpa his meds.

      Take that tin foil hat off you silly old bat.

    2. Re:Sony chose to wage war against North Korea by Frobnicator · · Score: 0

      ... well-known Hollywood UBER-zionist specifically designed as a psy-op against North Korea and its leadership. ... Sony was ONLY allowed to buy its way into Hollywood when its Japanese supremo's agreed to allow Israel-friendly managers ... their desired propaganda directions ... Japan has been a servant state to Israel ... was FORCED to introduce sanctions ... Saudi Arabia and Egypt (powers in the US sphere of control) ... Sony's vicious attack against North Korea ... serve their zionist masters on their knees. ... Sony is still loathed for daring to think it has a place in Hollywood. ... Most first class cyber-attacks emanate from Israel ... What you 'earn' while you remain ON YOUR KNEES is worthless- a lesson Japan is going to learn the hard way

      You started the troll so well with your first paragraph.

      At least the remaining portion was fun to read. I'm not quite sure how Sony would need to sell out to Isreal before joining Hollywood, that one is confusing. The claims that the NSA is secretly beholden to Israeli Military was fun. The claim that Saudi Arabia and Egypt are under US control made me especially laugh.

      Thanks for the entertainment.

      --
      //TODO: Think of witty sig statement
    3. Re:Sony chose to wage war against North Korea by TrollingForHostFiles · · Score: 2

      Japan has been a servant state to Israel and the USA since their defeat in WW2.

      Yeah, that was pretty clever of the Israelis, taking control of Japan some years before Israel even existed as a state.

      --
      cat /dev/random
    4. Re:Sony chose to wage war against North Korea by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Hollywood and NSA* indeed work for Zionist interests. And the people themselves are often Zionists, too.

      * Israel gets the FULL TAKE. C.f. Snowden

  14. FBI's lightning photo by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Can anyone source that photograph of lightning during a thunderstorm that's used as part of the header in the FBI's alert? I would absolutely love to find out that it was snagged from somebody's Flickr etc. and the FBI is using it without permission. I'm not talented enough to try removing the text and running it through TinEye or similar.

  15. Especially troubling as we enter winter by SuperKendall · · Score: 1

    As winter hits the nation, more and more people will be activating wipers to clear off road spray... if "they" manage to get this virus into the mag-chloride solution it could mean millions are impacted.

    --
    "There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
  16. Re:BEN.NETT by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Every time Bennett writes a new story on Sladshdot, I take a free day and spend it reading the story over and over again, and memorizing it. I know this seems hard to imagine, but I actually do it. Ask my employer.

    I'll take your for it because I don't feel like asking your mom.

  17. about NK - a thought by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    North Korea seems to be more of a parasite than a state. It can't feed its people without help. It can't innovate. It lives by what it can take from its neighbor to the south.

    The problem with such parasites is that the crash of the host is usually lethal.

    What measures (if any) indicate NK is able to stand on its own as an equal innovator and producer?

  18. None of these are exclusive by Imazalil · · Score: 2

    Could be half Russian half Israeli NSA contractor working in Korea.

  19. Are we sure this was an attack? by HiThereImBob · · Score: 1

    Isn't it possibly someone at sony accidentally inserted one of their CD's?

    1. Re:Are we sure this was an attack? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I was thinking the same thing....Sony Rootkits were very well intended...for Sony.

  20. EURO IN TROUBLE by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Quick ! Invoke the Evil Kim of Norkia. We need a Diversionary Story Right Now !

    Also, please rerun this photo of the Fat Evil Little Kim and the two female Mig17 pilot-bombes.

    http://foxtrotalpha.jalopnik.com/kim-jong-un-visits-female-fighter-pilots-picks-up-came-1664257974

    And please spice it up with some fantasies of how the two pilot-amazones grab The Kim and then proceed to give him a good fucking.

    I am sure that will distract from -3% of "interest" from the ECB madhouse.

  21. DA EVIL KIM WITH HOT!!! FIGHTER VIXENS ! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--yfIQ5h2g--/c_fit,fl_progressive,q_80,w_636/dqnjrpqxhuzsdptjanku.png

    Can somebody report of what the two Fighter Vixens did with the Little Kimmy when the cameras were off ?

    They seem to have A Handle on Little Kim.

  22. They did it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--yfIQ5h2g--/c_fit,fl_progressive,q_80,w_636/dqnjrpqxhuzsdptjanku.png

    Just before they unzipped DA EVYL KIMMY

  23. Given U.S. False Flags by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ...this is only RATIONAL.

    Bay Of Pigs.

    Viet Nam

    Iraq III

    Please tally up the body count. Thank you for doing your homework.

    1. Re:Given U.S. False Flags by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Another philosophy of conspiracists - since there have been conspiracies, that proves all conspiracy theories must be true.

      The biggest clue that shows when a person is a conspiracist is when they show they want to believe a conspiracy theory for something instead of a more straight-forward explanation, like that the incriminating information contained in a computer file must have been planted versus being a commonly found unanticipated effect of how such programs work - the same kind of information that leads people to believe the US was behind Stuxnet since the powers you believe are so advanced here are also apparently so careless when you need the shoe to be on the other foot. In fact, using your approach and by your logic, you have now proven Stuxnet, Flame, Doqu, etc, all were NOT done by the US, but that the US must have been framed for them. Or does your login only apply when it is needed to support your weak arguments? (note the question is rhetorical since the answer is clear)

  24. YOu are such a CUTE BOY by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ...as you eat the full propaganda meal of MAINSTREAM MEDIA.

    Have you ever been there ? Maybe 90% of what you read is lies.

  25. The Logic of a "Skeptic" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The Logic of a "Skeptic" : The larger the number of proven conspiracies = more proof that only crazies should believe in conspiracies...

    1. Re:The Logic of a "Skeptic" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The Logic of a "Skeptic" : The larger the number of proven conspiracies = more proof that only crazies should believe in conspiracies...

      No, that doesn't logically follow, and it is not what I said so is a strawman.

      But also not logical is saying "look, here are a bunch of conspiracy theories that were real" and claiming that proves their pet theory is true. The skeptic doesn't say conspiracy theories are all fake and only loonies should believe in any, just that they would like to actually see, you know, proof that it is true, and proof that is verifiable, rather than a bunch of labored explanations why all the proof against the conspiracy theory at hand must be fake or misinterpreted. Oh, and while it hasn't happened here so far, it doesn't help their believability when people spouting conspiracy theories throw out multiple a the same time where some directly conflict with others (cognitive dissonance) and they don't even realize it.

  26. Link to the FBI warning? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Does anyone actually have a link to the original warning? Maybe I just missed it went through the body of the Reuter's story twice. All I have is the useless links to Reuters and a few other parrots. I appreciate the idea of putting a warning out there, but doing so without posting details like attack vectors and mitigation strategies is short-sighted at best and that's all that these news agencies know about. It's probably in a google result somewhere but seriously why NOT link to the report if you're reporting on it?