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elleng

(130,156 posts)
Fri May 12, 2017, 01:52 PM May 2017

Cyberattacks in 12 Nations Said to Use Leaked N.S.A. Hacking Tool.

Source: nyt

An extensive cyberattack struck computers across a wide swath of Europe and Asia on Friday, and strained the public health system in Britain, where doctors were blocked from patient files and emergency rooms were forced to divert patients.

The attack involved ransomware, a kind of malware that encrypts data and locks out the user. According to security experts, it exploited a vulnerability that was discovered and developed by the National Security Agency.

The hacking tool was leaked by a group calling itself the Shadow Brokers, which has been dumping stolen N.S.A. hacking tools online beginning last year. Microsoft rolled out a patch for the vulnerability last March, but hackers took advantage of the fact that vulnerable targets — particularly hospitals — had yet to update their systems.

The malware was circulated by email; targets were sent an encrypted, compressed file that, once loaded, allowed the ransomware to infiltrate its targets.

Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/12/world/europe/uk-national-health-service-cyberattack.html?

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PSPS

(13,516 posts)
2. This ransomware has been going around for years, always by Russians
Fri May 12, 2017, 02:00 PM
May 2017

It's the biggest "market" there is for the criminal currency Bitcoin, and the perpetrators are always Russian nationals. In other words, Russia has been waging cyber warfare for years now, yet nobody does anything about it.

Leith

(7,802 posts)
3. This Is Much Bigger Than I Had Heard
Fri May 12, 2017, 02:16 PM
May 2017

The Guardian had a story about hospitals in the UK which also mentioned that some companies in Spain had been hit. I did a post about it.

What the hell else has to happen before TPTB get off their asses and do something?!


inanna

(3,547 posts)
4. I'm having a helluva tough time
Fri May 12, 2017, 02:17 PM
May 2017

connecting to MANY sites today. Anyone else having problems?

Connecting to DU is even slower than usual.

Haven't been able to get into yahoo mail all day...



Maraya1969

(22,441 posts)
8. I just had a new processor put in? I can't remember the damn name but the old one got stuck a lot
Fri May 12, 2017, 02:36 PM
May 2017

and this new one is the fastest I have ever seen. I literally turn on the computer and within 45 seconds I'm on the net. I paid $60 for it. Maybe someone knows the name.

Maraya1969

(22,441 posts)
7. See I don't believe that they hacked into our N.S.A I think someone on the inside gave
Fri May 12, 2017, 02:33 PM
May 2017

them the information. If some people can actually do this why haven't they hacked banks or the Koch brother's or some other place where they could get all the money they ever wanted?

I just don't believe it was hacked. Especially since we have been seeing how many people have their allegiance to Russia now, and maybe that is for money or just to steal elections. But I'm sure passwords have changed hands because of it.

For fuck's sake we've had a possible Russian spy working as our National Security Adviser!

 

elmac

(4,642 posts)
10. Putin probably made an agreement with tRump
Fri May 12, 2017, 03:04 PM
May 2017

that the US wouldn't be harmed since they already owned ameriKa.

Blue_Tires

(55,445 posts)
11. The privacy bros should be celebrating
Fri May 12, 2017, 03:08 PM
May 2017

since it's now private citizens doing this shit instead of state actors, right?

DK504

(3,847 posts)
12. " ... Microsoft rolled out a patch for the vulnerability last March, ....
Fri May 12, 2017, 05:10 PM
May 2017

Fuck you Billy. You could help stop this in a second. These guys need to be shut down, along with their Russian counterparts.

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