Slashdot Mirror
Microsoft Says Russia-Linked Hackers Are Exploiting Newly Discovered Flaw In Windows OS (reuters.com)
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Reuters: Microsoft Corp said on Tuesday that a hacking group previously linked to the Russian government and U.S. political hacks is behind recent cyber attacks that exploit a newly discovered flaw in its Windows operating system. Microsoft said that a patch to defend Windows users against this sort of attack will be released on Nov. 8. The software maker said in an advisory on its website there had been a small number of attacks using "spear phishing" emails from a hacking group known Strontium, which is more widely known as "Fancy Bear" or APT 28. A U.S. intelligence expert on Russian cyber activity said that Fancy Bear primarily works for or on behalf of the GRU, Russia's military intelligence agency, which U.S. intelligence officials have concluded were responsible for hacks of Democratic Party databases and emails. Microsoft said the attacks exploited a vulnerability in Adobe Systems Inc's Flash software and one in the Windows operating system. Adobe released a patch for that vulnerability on Monday as security researchers with Google went public with details on the attack.
Is it just me or is everything linked to fucking Russians these days? Reminds of of the old chant "Zee Germans are coming!"
Welcome to "Patch Tuesday" syndrome, horribly amplified by the fact they're now doing a unified single update per month of everything all rolled up into one. You get an all-or-nothing patching system, regardless of how much it fucks up your computer in the process!
Should I be angry at Adobe for having a crappy flash API, or should I be angry at Microsoft for providing Adobe Flash BY DEFAULT in Windows 10?
2016 cant be over if russians arent also blamed for global warming and erectile disfunction
Microsoft makes more money if defects are found in Windows. The defects make people and organizations feel it is necessary to buy a newer version.
Microsoft management apparently thinks, "Why release good software when defects make money?"
There should be government regulations preventing abuse of computer software customers. We shouldn't be forced to install all fixes offered, for example.
We need an open-source operating system that can run all Windows software. (Using Linux requires re-training every user.)
If we didn't know it already, here's proof that to Microsoft, sticking to a monthly patch schedule is more important than keeping their customer's computers safe. And, when it comes down to it, why should they do it differently, when we all know that there are millions of people out there shelling out good money for the Latest and Greatest version of every Microsoft product, even when they know that bugs and vulnerabilities won't be patched in a prompt and timely manner. Say what you want about Linux not being bug proof, but at least the various distros release patches as soon as they're available, rather than holding them back until the next monthly patch-fest.
Good, inexpensive web hosting
I've heard it wasn't Russians at all, but US Intel agencies that leaked it, because they (the low level agents) hated the idea of Clinton Presidency, especially once they saw the writing on the wall about the Comey investigation not going after Clinton.
Granted, that is speculation and unnamed sources. But that seems to be all that is needed these days.
I don't know who it was that revealed those emails to the American public. It could have been DNC's Director of Voter Expansion Data, Seth Rich http://www.newsweek.com/seth-r... . Whoever-it-was did us a service. And whoever-it-was doesn't really matter. What matters is the content.
(||) Nehmo (||)