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KeRanger Mac Ransomware Based On Linux Forebear, Not Windows
An anonymous reader writes: It appears that the KeRanger ransomware that's been tormenting Mac users for the past days is actually based on a ransomware variant that targets Linux servers, and not on a ransomware family coming from Windows. That particular Linux ransomware is also based on an open-source ransomware called Hidden Tear that was uploaded to GitHub by a Turkish security researcher. So obviously, the conclusion is that GitHub is to blame for the KeRanger Mac ransomware. (Note to readers: That last bit is tongue in anonymous cheek.)
I would have assumed that it would have come from a Linux or BSD based one rather than a windows one.... The systems are much closer than windows to mac.
Or am I being overly simplistic?
and from the dirt rises the ashes on fourbears.
Not only did the obvious satire go right over your head, but you also ignored the part directly after that telling you it was satire on the off chance that you were too dumb to figure it out.
So, congrats on that, I guess.
Lord Rutherford
>So obviously, the conclusion is that GitHub is to blame for the KeRanger Mac ransomware.
By that reasoning Einstein* is to blame for Hiroshima, Nagasaki and hell even Chernobyl and Fukushima...
*Or relevant physicist, I don't know the whole story...
I almost thought you were being sarcastic.
By that reasoning Einstein* is to blame for Hiroshima, Nagasaki and hell even Chernobyl and Fukushima...
You're trolling, right?
The first rule of getting infected by ransomware is you do not fund the criminals.
The second rule of getting infected by ransomware is YOU DO NOT FUND THE CRIMINALS.
"That last bit is tongue in anonymous cheek."
inability to get sarcasm and irony, or even just humor, (without tags, cues cards, laugh tracks, etc etc) seem to be widespread and growing here in slashdot and in usa in particular, and west in general.
one faces all sort of nastiness if attempted; moded down, branded for "hate speech",etc etc. no wonder several comedians are boycotting universities.
this seem to be linked to regrowth of political correctness and sheepish acceptance of so called 'liberal', elitist, ideology by the western young .
bankrupt irrational ideas can't tolerate humor that show their absurdity.
This appears to be a doubly-impossible scenario as both Linux and Mac are secure by default.
Requiem for the American Dream
Because someone has finally figured out how to make money using Linux!
Why would a so-called "security researcher" manufacture and publish ransomware?
Publish a known security flaw and a proof-of-concept exploit kit, sure, but a complete software package with the sole purpose of extorting money from innocent victims?!
That's like demonstrating the dangers of heroin by handing out free samples in a schoolyard.
No it isn't, it's editorialising. And it's inappropriate.
You know, coming here makes me angry. There really was a time, and it wan't that long ago, that this was News for (technology) Nerds. Now, it's just yellow journalism, if that.
It's sad, and it's a big loss to the community. I hope for better, and keep on coming back, only to be disappointed. So here's a question for the new owners of this site: what to you think will generate more traffic? being a part of the technology community, or garbage that makes people angry? And if the answer is the latter, please let us know and may of us will leave you in peace.
Democritus. Until him, all that we had was Earth, Wind, Fire, Water, and Leeloo.
Bastard. I liked Leeloo. Hubba-hubba!
How does this 'Linux ransomware' get onto the computer without the end user visiting a malicious site and explicidly downloading and installing the program?
Actually, I'm giving Timmy a break on this for once. Yes, it _is_ editorializing; Timothy is an _Editor_, and he is actually doing his job for once.
Hiding Libertarian opinion in carefully culled snippets written by others is his usual method.
"...garbage that makes people angry? ..."
Really, pointing out a bit of awkward humor makes you angry? Would you rather have Timmy going back to pointing out yet another time when a 3D Gun Nut blows his nose? What would really drive you right into Loony Land, pointing out grammatical and spelling errors? (It's "editorializing" and "Being". The dropping of the implied second adverb "being" here is marginal, but acceptable, if one allows following linked sentence fragments as a matter of style. What is totally unacceptable is the substitution of that dropped second adverb for "publishing" or "disseminating". That's just ignorant.)
To paraphrase Joan Collins- I, for one, welcome our new Editorializing Overlords.
No it isn't, it's editorialising. And it's inappropriate.
No it isn't, it's a clarification. Wording a bit
"(Note to readers: That last bit is tongue in anonymous cheek.)"
The phrase 'tongue in cheek' is an idiom meaning in (sarcastic or ironic) jest that risks being misunderstood if it is broken up. Could also have been worded,
"(Note to readers: That last bit is anonymous' tongue-in-cheek.)"
The real problem is that anonymous wrote a summary as a series of factual sentences --- but then added a sarcastic comment at the end in the same style, so there is no clear cue that it is a sarcastic comment. I figured it out by what was said and empathizing with the writer, but editors strive for clarity, even if they feel the need to interrupt your flow by adding a comment of their own. Try to make the editor's job easier. Try this, anonymous,
"[...] uploaded to GitHub by a Turkish security researcher. So... obviously, the conclusion is that GitHub is to blame [...]"
You have two tone-changers that set the sarcasm aside, even bring attention to it. "So..." is a pause-for-irony that cues readers that they are now listening to the author's voice, and italics underscore the tone change. You can also add ", right?" to make sarcasm crystal clear. So... now that fucktard blowhard Hocus is giving style advice, right?
what to you think will generate more traffic? being a part of the technology community, or garbage that makes people angry?
What if we're talking about discussion, not website traffic? Isn't that a community? And what if technology itself contains a lot of garbage that makes people angry?
Like dumbfuck LED indicators on modern tech devices that are supposed to indicate network and disc access, but blink late, on simple blink-on-blink-off timers, extended by capacitors until tiny blips disappear, on by default to add useless 'glow' to your room and dim (slowly) to indicate activity (fuck that shit). Or completely software driven so the indication is late or bogus. Like my AT&T Uverse modem which is the stupidest modem in the world with indicators as useless as CSS 'Loading...' animation on web pages, noise and fury signifying nothing. The modem can completely lock up while the front panel still shows the useless thumb-sucking blinky-state the software left it in. Like no one wants to lay down a single PCB trace from controller chip to LED anymore, it's too... fucking... difficult.
That's garbage. And Slashdot is the place to discuss it.
<blink>down the rabbit hole</blink>
Urr durr
I feel sad you needed to take the time to craft that post. But I do hope a lot of people read it.
Well I'd be more inclined to blame Oppenheimer. Einstein was not the only physicist on the planet.
Isn't that what we do here on /.
In any case, citation needed for this: "KeRanger ransomware that's been tormenting Mac users".
Can you cite numbers or did you just pull this tormenting comment out of thin air?
Who would have thought that any type of malware could have originated anywhere except Windows? Certainly not me.
this seem to be linked to regrowth of political correctness and sheepish acceptance of so called 'liberal', elitist, ideology by the western young . bankrupt irrational ideas can't tolerate humor that show their absurdity.
And the lickspittles of the conservative elite bleat whatever cliches their paymasters order up.
Blow me, reactionary mouthpiece.
Luke, help me take this mask off
trump will want to buy github outright before his election,
cruz will say he'll eliminate github when he's the prez,
rubio will want to give github a lifetime greencard; but will tell it differently in English and spanish,
kasich can't spell g-i-t-h-u-b,
sanders will want to nationalize github,
and clinton will have chelsea leer at github until it gives the 'clinton crime family foundation' a donation.
The fact you assume that comment contains an anti-gay slur says more about you than him.
I've heard women say "blow me"---the phrase has pretty generic usage at this point.
The anti-gay comment makes no sense at all unless you were perhaps misled by the term "mouthpiece".
So, all in all, either you're socially undeveloped or you're a semi-literate twat. Either way, it's easy to judge the value of your social commentary.
> but then added a sarcastic comment at the end in the same style,
> so there is no clear cue that it is a sarcastic comment.
Only americans need a clear cue. To the rest of the English-speaking world, it's fucking obvious.
Presumably, that's why you invented the devastatingly ingenious sarcasm style of saying something stupid or obviously false, pausing for a few seconds and then yelling "NOT!!!!"