Microsoft's Telemetry Shows Petya Infections in 65 Countries Around the World (microsoft.com)
From a blog post by Microsoft: On June 27, 2017 reports of a ransomware infection began spreading across Europe. We saw the first infections in Ukraine, where more than 12,500 machines encountered the threat. We then observed infections in another 64 countries, including Belgium, Brazil, Germany, Russia, and the United States. The new ransomware has worm capabilities, which allows it to move laterally across infected networks. Based on our investigation, this new ransomware shares similar codes and is a new variant of Ransom:Win32/Petya. This new strain of ransomware, however, is more sophisticated. [...] Initial infection appears to involve a software supply-chain threat involving the Ukrainian company M.E.Doc, which develops tax accounting software, MEDoc. Although this vector was speculated at length by news media and security researchers -- including Ukraine's own Cyber Police -- there was only circumstantial evidence for this vector. Microsoft now has evidence that a few active infections of the ransomware initially started from the legitimate MEDoc updater process. A New York Times reports how rest of the world is dealing with Petya. From the article: A fuller picture of the impact will probably emerge in the coming days. But companies and government offices worldwide appeared less affected than the WannaCry attack, notably in places like China, which was hard hit in May. Reports from Asia suggested that many of the companies hit were the local arms of European and American companies struck on Tuesday. In Mumbai, India, a port terminal operated by A.P. Moller-Maersk, the Danish shipping giant, was shut after it disclosed that it had been hit by the malware. In a statement, Indian port authorities said they were taking steps to relieve congestion, such as finding places to park stranded cargo. The attack shut the terminal down on Tuesday afternoon. On the Australian island of Tasmania, computers in a Cadbury chocolate factory owned by Mondelez International, the American food company, displayed the ransomware message, according to the local news media.
Companies and individuals that choose Windows deserve what they get. An inherently insecure operating system, which they have no control over.
Companies and individuals that do not back up their data deserve what they get. Total data loss.
Companies and individuals that pay ransomware authors deserve what they get. More malware targeted at their systems.
How Inception-like.
Since we don't 'own' the OS anymore, but simply license it for our use, doesn't that put the responsibility of a malware infection squarely on the 'owner' of the OS?
It's seems like companies would search for other software to avoid these endlessly recurring ransomware/spyware/malware infections, but after 15 years of them it doesn't appear to be the case. This is normal and accepted.
Welp, I guess that's one good use for Microsoft's spyware *cough* d'ah I mean, telemetry. Now they can see how many of their customers' systems are infected with malware in real time. Sure, if you can't secure the OS, why not then grab a bucket of popcorn and enjoy the fun?
sig: sauer
"Oh I'm not a malware protection application, I'm just a malware monitor. You've been infected."
(commercial on TV in the USA, at least)
Let's not bullshit or pretend that being "techie" makes it somehow better. Malware = terrorism. And yes, that swings both ways.
You are welcome on my lawn.
cyber
cyber
cyber
woohoo!
Yeah, I know, my machine got infected. I know 'cuz I got a call just the other day from a very helpful person. "Hello, I'm from The Microsoft, ok? I'm calling you about your computer, ok? Your computer is infested with the viruses, ok?" He helped me straighten it out. Cost me $300 and my machine runs a little slower now, but I'm sure it was worth it.
Oliver's law of assumed responsibility: If you're seen fixing it, you will be blamed for breaking it.
What this proves is what people have been saying about updaters that come packaged with many applications: they are not secure. Updates need to be done using signed binaries, not simply signed executables. Signed executables on are nice but completely worthless if they are entirely optional. Also, actually checking the signature is a key element to the whole system which is oddly omitted on occasion.
A standardized system for applications to actually do software updates using the Windows Update system (and their secured servers) would be helpful to everyone. It's disappointing that MS doesn't make it a service for developers to buy into.
Anons need not reply. Questions end with a question mark.
For introducing security vulnerabilities in every single Linux release. I mean how much more incompetent can you get? Every linux release has root exploits.
Looks again that MS is more efficient spying(telemetry?) their customers than protecting them.
oh wow. feelers into everything, including into "malfunctioning" computers...erm... this doesn't sound right, right?
people looking at this telemetry data must be stone hearted psychopaths, to not instantly feel utterly sick to the stomach.
i mean. before it was "kindda" invisible, the reports came from "outside", from users, labs, companies that are on the lookout for stuff like this;
but now, they get, real live direct reports of their incompetence.
Yet ANOTHER reason for those of us who have quit using Windows and switched to Linux have reason to rejoice...
THANK YOU, Edward Snowden!! Americans owe you a debt of gratitude (whether they know it or not..)
Sorry, but Mondelez is NOT an American food company. Its main headquarters is in Bremen, Germany. Please check your facts.
Petya's Telemetry shows Microsoft infections in 196 Countries Around the World
See subject: THIS is actually a USEFUL FEATURE of MS' Telemetry (though I wish they'd fess up on ALL they send)!
* So I guess the old adage of "look @ the 'bright-side'" applies - make some GOOD out of 'the bad' etc. - et al...
( REPOSTING THIS to spite the PITIFUL FUCK who's downmod bombing me (because I can & the fool can blow those downmodpoints all day long - I'll run the pisspot dry of them so others don't endure their puny bullshit https://tech.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=10798087&cid=54704807/ )
APK
P.S.=> No fan of telemetry here & yes, I removed it + filtered vs. it in Win7 (& I can't stand Win10 personally) in the OS itself & firewalls + routers (yes, hosts too, though it doesn't matter here)... apk