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Amongst other news outlets, CIO reports on a hacker attack on the German parliament (Bundestag) that occured four weeks ago and is still ongoing:
Trojans introduced to the Bundestag network are still working and are still sending data from the internal network to an unknown destination, several anonymous parliament sources told German publication Der Spiegel.[German]
All software and hardware in the German parliamentary network might need to be replaced[1]. More than four weeks after a cyberattack, the government hasn't managed to erase spyware from the system, according to a news report.
Some MPs have concerns to call experts from the foreign intelligence service, the Bundesnachrichtendienst, for help, because the agency would gain access to the legislative process, a possible violation of the principles of Separation of Powers.
[1] Apparently about 20.000 machines are affected
(Score: 3, Interesting) by Justin Case on Saturday June 13 2015, @01:29PM
> All software and hardware in the German parliamentary network might need to be replaced
I've read a few stories on this incident (sorry if I missed one) and I don't understand replacing the hardware. Unless this is Christmas in Ju
lyne.Nuke and pave anyone? Or is this the first widespread firmware/BIOS/hard-drive-controller worm?
Oh, and replace the people who allowed this to happen. I don't know who. Maybe the techs, maybe not. Maybe the boss who mandated Windows (if they did). Maybe the funding source that was told for years "we're dangling over a cliff" and ignored it.
(Score: 3, Funny) by choose another one on Saturday June 13 2015, @03:05PM
WTF has windows got to do with it if it is a bios / firmware worm ? Obviously they should have used different hardware - like Apple, because Macs have never turned out to be vulnerable to firmware hacks have they... http://9to5mac.com/2015/06/02/mac-vulnerability-bios/ [9to5mac.com]
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Justin Case on Saturday June 13 2015, @03:10PM
I'm asking questions. Was Windows to blame? Was a BIOS worm? How did it spread? I didn't say anything about Macs.
I didn't say I assume it was Windows and I assume it was a BIOS worm. I'm asking. What was it?
For about a thousand years Windows has been easiest to hack. Sure, other systems can be hacked. But Windows is easiest. Of course, you knew that already, which is why you're so sensitized and reactive to the topic.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday June 13 2015, @05:15PM
http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Just_asking_questions [rationalwiki.org]
(Score: 5, Informative) by Dr Spin on Saturday June 13 2015, @04:02PM
WTF has windows got to do with it
The original source said it was spread by a rogue windows Installer (MSI) file.
As a Unix user since 1978 I have never known it be susceptible to rogue msi's.
Warning: Opening your mouth may invalidate your brain!
(Score: 2) by maxwell demon on Sunday June 14 2015, @07:33AM
Of course that raises the question why ordinary user accounts had the rights to install software.
With such settings, you could also have compromised a Linux system with a malicious .rpm or .deb package.
The Tao of math: The numbers you can count are not the real numbers.
(Score: 4, Insightful) by Common Joe on Saturday June 13 2015, @03:58PM
I can't imagine any other reason to replace hardware. (Other than incompetence.) But replacing hardware won't stop a determined reinfection... and that underscores why something like a toggle switch should be required to update the BIOS of any hardware (whether on the motherboard or on a hard drive). The designs they have for today's computers should be labeled criminal in my opinion.