ARmy Rumour SErvice

Foil hats, lovely tin foil hats, pound a piece, tenner for twelve. Get yer foil hats here.

I have read up on viruses. Now have to figure out where to get a condom large enough to go over my laptop.

It's looking like cyber warfare.

Flame: world's most complex computer virus exposed - Telegraph

Experts said the massive malicious software was 20 times more powerful than other known cyber warfare programmes including the Stuxnet virus and could only have been created by a state... Flame can gather data files, remotely change settings on computers, turn on computer microphones to record conversations, take screen shots and copy instant messaging chats.

The virus was discovered by a Russian security firm that specialises in targeting malicious computer code. It made the 20 gigabyte virus available to other researchers yesterday claiming it did not fully understand its scope and said its code was 100 times the size of the most malicious software. Kaspersky Labs said the programme appeared to have been released five years ago and had infected machines in Iran, Israel, Sudan, Syria, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and Egypt.

"If Flame went on undiscovered for five years, the only logical conclusion is that there are other operations ongoing that we don't know about," Roel Schouwenberg, a Kaspersky security senior researcher, said. The file, which infects Microsoft Windows computers, has five encryption algorithms, exotic data storage formats and the ability to steal documents, spy on computer users and more.

Components enable those behind it, who use a network of rapidly-shifting "command and control" servers to direct the virus, to turn microphone into listening devices, siphon off documents and log keystrokes.

Some very skilled people have spent serious money crafting an expensive program that has zero commercial value, but great espionage value.

Kaspersky Labs said the programme appeared to have been released five years ago and had infected machines in Iran, Israel, Sudan, Syria, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and Egypt.

That reads like a wish list of states the US would like to keep an eye on.

-- Iran because of its uranium enrichment and attempts to export terrorism.
-- Israel because the US doesn't want them unilaterally smacking Iran.
-- Sudan because it on the way to being a failing state.
-- Syria because its hostile to the US.
-- Lebanon because its politically unstable and essentially under Syrian domination.
-- Saudi because of fears of political instability in one of the US's most important allies in the region.
-- Egypt, because it could end up a militant state if its revolution goes badly.

And I'll bet they're not the only infected states.

These boys have something to do with it?

United States Cyber Command - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Wordsmith

Originally Posted by packwoman

Thank you for your post and it is great to see you.

Er, ok.

Originally Posted by packwoman

Thank you for your post and it is great to see you.

But you couldn't see him. You could only see his post.

It has to come from Israel. Given the number of companies who use the Land of Red Sea Pedestrians for writing encryption codes and given the targets I think it's a no-brainer.

Originally Posted by eodmatt

But you couldn't see him. You could only see his post.

He is among us everywhere. Peace and blessings be upon him.

I'm loving the apparant surprise that Flame is "the most complex threat ever discovered". Is that really a shock? With the speed at which technology is developing, we have kids sat at home DDOS'ing online players of MMORPG's, not caring that they're breaking the law at the age of 14. As with anything, you would always expect viruses to get smarter and more complex.

The only thing I found intriguing was hearing that this virus is believed to have originated ~5 years ago and will take 10 years to decode. Imagine how complex the most current highly funded virus is.


*Puts on tinfoil hat*