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“Newly discovered Vigilante malware outs software pirates and blocks them“
Posted by: btfc
Date: June 17, 2021 07:52PM
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“ A researcher has uncovered one of the more unusual finds in the annals of malware: booby-trapped files that rat out downloaders and try to prevent unauthorized downloading in the future. The files are available on sites frequented by software pirates.
Vigilante, as SophosLabs Principal Researcher Andrew Brandt is calling the malware, gets installed when victims download and execute what they think is pirated software or games. Behind the scenes, the malware reports the file name that was executed to an attacker-controlled server, along with the IP address of the victims’ computers. As a finishing touch, Vigilante tries to modify the victims’ computers so they can no longer access thepiratebay.com and as many as 1,000 other pirate sites. “
[arstechnica.com]
Vigilante, as SophosLabs Principal Researcher Andrew Brandt is calling the malware, gets installed when victims download and execute what they think is pirated software or games. Behind the scenes, the malware reports the file name that was executed to an attacker-controlled server, along with the IP address of the victims’ computers. As a finishing touch, Vigilante tries to modify the victims’ computers so they can no longer access thepiratebay.com and as many as 1,000 other pirate sites. “
[arstechnica.com]
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Re: “Newly discovered Vigilante malware outs software pirates and blocks them“
Posted by: Ombligo
Date: June 18, 2021 07:38AM
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Interesting and I can understand why software companies (as well as media companies) would like such a program. However, I am bothered immensely by the likelihood of such programs being used for other purposes. What is to keep any website from blocking access to its competitors?
MS Edge blocks Firefox and Chrome; Google blocks DuckDuckGo. With the money at stake, even major companies could be tempted.
“No persons are more frequently wrong, than those who will not admit they are wrong.” -- François de La Rochefoucauld
"Those who cannot accept the past are condemned to revise it." -- Geo. Mathias
MS Edge blocks Firefox and Chrome; Google blocks DuckDuckGo. With the money at stake, even major companies could be tempted.
“No persons are more frequently wrong, than those who will not admit they are wrong.” -- François de La Rochefoucauld
"Those who cannot accept the past are condemned to revise it." -- Geo. Mathias
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Re: “Newly discovered Vigilante malware outs software pirates and blocks them“
Posted by: space-time
Date: June 18, 2021 04:28PM
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Re: “Newly discovered Vigilante malware outs software pirates and blocks them“
Posted by: Racer X
Date: June 18, 2021 04:40PM
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"MS Edge blocks Firefox and Chrome; Google blocks DuckDuckGo. With the money at stake, even major companies could be tempted."
And if they get caught, the pathetically low penalties they might end up paying are written off as the cost of doing business.
If the profit is more than the penalty, it isn't a deterrent.
And if they get caught, the pathetically low penalties they might end up paying are written off as the cost of doing business.
If the profit is more than the penalty, it isn't a deterrent.
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Re: “Newly discovered Vigilante malware outs software pirates and blocks them“
Posted by: Ombligo
Date: June 19, 2021 08:17AM
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Quote
space-time
Quote
Ombligo
MS Edge blocks Firefox and Chrome; Google blocks DuckDuckGo. With the money at stake, even major companies could be tempted.
What??? I have not seen this.
No, it is not currently happening. My point was that this technology could be used to make it happen and the potential profit would make it very tempting for a company to do so.
“No persons are more frequently wrong, than those who will not admit they are wrong.” -- François de La Rochefoucauld
"Those who cannot accept the past are condemned to revise it." -- Geo. Mathias
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