Symantec Researchers Find 49 New Modules of Regin Spying Tool

itwbennett writes: Security researchers from Symantec have identified 49 more modules (bringing the total number found so far to 75) of the sophisticated Regin cyberespionage platform that many believe is used by the U.S. National Security Agency and its close allies. Some of the modules implement basic malware functions, while other modules are much more specialized and built with specific targets in mind. 'One module was designed to monitor network traffic to Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS) web servers, another was observed collecting administration traffic for mobile telephony base station controllers, while another was created specifically for parsing mail from Exchange databases,' the Symantec researchers said in an updated version of their white paper (PDF) published Thursday.

Comments

Dubious

[Anonymous Coward]

Symantec is an American company. If this were really NSA malware, would Symantec be able to tell us about it?

Re:Dubious

[Impy the Impiuos Imp]

No, if you stumble across something, you have freedom of speech and government cannot pre-silence you. Nothing save an imminent D Day type invasion launch would pass the Supreme Court, and they would mean imminent, like 24 hours.

Government has worked with anti-spyware people to overlook certain things in certain cases, if stories are to be believed, but that is voluntary.

Re: Dubious

[Anonymous Coward]

Yes, until it's confirmed. Then they have to shut up. Until then it's speculation which is protected free speech.

Makes no difference

[MouseR]

No one in the USA cares about their privacy or their rights, so long as it's not about burning tires or shooting guns.

No mater how much scandals are thrown to the public, be it NSA related or even fake evidence leading to Iraq fiasco for the benefit of the murderous clan of the Cheney group, from Bush puppet to Rice accessory through 45$/gallon kerosene sold by Halliburton to USA Army corps, hundreds of thousands of civilians ground to a pulp to the blatant misuse of US treasury by lord how many agencies to feed off the public insecurities with TSA leading the front of nosiness, no one cares.

You can throw more of it. Everybody's senses have been reduced to a gentle numb.

So, Symantec can keep publishing their finds. They may make a bit more money off of it, and NSA will continue it's game. Unimpeded.

(wow it's been a long week... I may be frustrated a tad)

Re:Makes no difference

[Anonymous Coward]

No one in the USA cares about their privacy[...]

Posting from a VPN which I chose (from an assortment that fit the bill) because it keeps no logs, oh--in the U.S. I care, so it's now every American but me. Let's see if we can't make some more forward progress...

Re:Makes no difference

[Anonymous Coward]

There are people fighting this. Go move to the free state: https://freestateproject.org/

Nobody is going to take up arms against the government unless they *absolutely have to* - but to suggest that nobody is organizing or fighting these things is non-sense. The ACLU, the EFF, and even the Free Software Foundation and there contributors actively fight this stuff.

I'll agree that nobody has formally organized a serious militia, which is every ones right, but they are fighting to uphold these rights. If enough gun nuts move accordingly there might eventually become enough anger in one place to start a more serious fight. Before that can happen there have to be people *in one place* which are organized and of the same view point.

* I should point out the free state project is a non-violent movement to get 20,000 people to move to the state of New Hampshire and is most of the way there already. Thousands have moved and thousands more are already in New Hampshire. The actual signers though aren't required to move until there are 20,000 people committed to moving. In reality though people are already moving. This is a start to fighting this BS and it doesn't matter if your a republican, a democrat, etc as long as you *want less government* and individual liberties (ie want people to have the right to do as they please short of hurting others, so smoke pot a-ok, own guns a-ok, sell stuff without a license a-ok, etc).

Re:Makes no difference

[MouseR]

Kinda liked Reagan. He managed to beat out USSR through a well crafted arms race to drive it down financially. Cost the US a lot, but no blood was shed and the USSR broke up.
Bush senior was OK. Gulf was was warranted and he did not exceed the UN mandate. Saddam thought he could screw with Kuwait and he was put in his place.
Clinton (with balls) did wonders for your economy.
Bush junior was a fucking liar and sellout. Part of the murderous bunch that ought to be charged. Will never happen of course.
Obama lacked the balls to truly bring change (and hope) for the US. Of course, Senate and Congress did nothing to ease his tenure. I'm actually surprised he made it through his two mandate without getting JFK-ed out. His drone program (essentially a continuation of the killers' program) made things worse IMO.

Re:Makes no difference

[MouseR]

Doesn't have to boil down to an armed militia but damn... where's the outrage? People should at least voice their concern.

Re: Makes no difference

[Anonymous Coward]

People are voicing their concern, the government just ignores it... ... unless your soapbox is tall enough that your rhetoric is heard by the masses, in which case you are a terrorist.

Re:Makes no difference

[JustAnotherOldGuy]

Bush senior was OK.

George "Poppy" Bush: "Read my lips...no new taxes."

*pauses a moment, then raises taxes*

"We have not, and never will, trade arms for hostages."

*quietly trades arms for hostages*

This is just a diversion

[Aviation Pete]

Symantec tries to create the impression that the NSA needs malware to extract data from Microsoft systems.

Their intention is to make us think the NSA doesn't already enjoy first-class access though their custom backdoors. Don't be fooled!

Re:This is just a diversion

[MrL0G1C]

Windows 10 gives up all pretence of having any privacy.

Sending every keystroke to MS HQ!!!! We used to call software that does that a virus, key-logger, malware, now Microsoft are doing it, hoping the general population doesn't notice.

You really have to advise anyone you know not to install windows 10, it is out and out spyware, and you can't turn it all off in the privacy settings.