Slashdot Mirror


WikiLeaks Dump Reveals CIA Malware That Can Sabotage User Software (bleepingcomputer.com)

An anonymous reader writes: "While the world was busy dealing with the WannaCry ransomware outbreak, last Friday, about the time when we were first seeing a surge in WannaCry attacks, WikiLeaks dumped new files part of the Vault 7 series," reports BleepingComputer. This time, the organization dumped user manuals for two hacking tools named AfterMidnight and Assassin. Both are malware frameworks, but of the two, the most interesting is AfterMidnight -- a backdoor trojan for stealing data from infected PCs. According to its leaked manual, AfterMidnight contains a module to "subvert" user software by killing processes and delaying the execution of user software. Examples in this manual show CIA operatives how to kill browsers every 30 seconds to keep targets focused on their work, how to delay the execution of PowerPoint software with 30 seconds just to mess with their targets, or how to lock up 50% of PC resources whenever the user starts certain software. Basically, the CIA created nagware.

5 of 116 comments (clear)

  1. 50% usage by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    how to lock up 50% of PC resources whenever the user starts certain software

    Isn't that just windows updates?

  2. Browser dies every 30 secs... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    Powerpoint gets delayed 30 secs... and so on.

    Isn't that just standard Windows "user experience" anyway?

  3. Re: They don't even understand "work" by Mouldy · · Score: 5, Funny

    Web programmer, lol. Spoiler alert: you don't deliver anything useful anyway.

    Says an AC commenting on the web

  4. Windows by coofercat · · Score: 3, Funny

    I thought Windows was just like that by default - little did I know I was being hacked by the CIA. I'll be more careful in future ;-)

  5. Hey wait a minute by Kardos · · Score: 3, Funny

    ... this raises the possibility that Windows might actually be a functional and performant piece of work, one that has been unfairly maligned over the years due to the CIA's actions!