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May 13, 2009

Pirate Windows 7 copies loaded with trojans

Dodgy copies being peddled by cybercriminals

Ellen Messmer

Pirate copies of Windows 7 have been found with hard-to-detect trojans intended for cybercrime purposes, according to a security firm.

Microsoft's Windows 7 release candidate, made available last week, almost immediately was pirated through various channels, including Torrents and news groups, according to security company Damballa. A pirated version Damballa has seen had a malware Trojan packed into it that would give an attacker the ability to take control of a computer and download whatever additional malware they wanted.

Tripp Cox, vice president of engineering at Damballa, says the pirated version basically becomes part of a criminal botnet.
The Trojan in this pirated version of Microsoft Windows 7 recently made use of the domain name 'codecs.sytes.net' for its command-and-control, but Damballa worked with industry partners it declined to name to nullify its effective use.

Damballa then was able to observe the rate of piracy for the Windows 7 release and noted that cybercrime organisations appear to be ready to exploit it. Cox says Damballa has witnessed a few thousand downloads of the pirated version of Windows 7.

There's a "collusion" between "software pirates and cybercrime organisations," says Cox, who adds the pirated Windows 7 distribution that Damballa uncovered through its collection methods may be just one of several pirated versions with different malware characteristics.

Damballa contends that traditional signature-based antimalware detection methods will not likely be able to spot the Trojan embedded in the Microsoft Windows 7 pirated version. Damballa's products detect by monitoring botnet behaviour, such as the ability of botnets to communicate via infected computers to command-and-control points.

See also:

Network World

Free whitepaper: Phishing for victims - Truth, myth and cybercrime

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Comments received


me said on Thursday, 14 May 2009

So basically what they are saying don't copy it buy it.

mickeblue said on Thursday, 14 May 2009

Worth knowing!

Klingstin said on Thursday, 14 May 2009

Serves the tight fisted brigade right. If you register with Microsoft Connect you can get a lagitamate copy of Windows 7 rc1 like I have.

John Doe said on Thursday, 14 May 2009

Tight fisted?
How about skint?
In these financially troubled times, I don't see any price reductions being made by these stingy, greedy 'TIGHT FISTED' companies who are making more money than they know what to do with.
Not everyone has the financial resources to fund the already bloated bank accounts of these greedy, unsympathetic idiots who have no one else but themselves and their prohibitive pricing structures to blame for the increase in piracy.
I think someone needs to get out more, and see things as they really are.

callum said on Thursday, 14 May 2009

If you're skint, go without. You can justify stealing food if you can't afford to eat, but stealing the latest version of Windows...

John doe said on Thursday, 14 May 2009

I'm not skint, but I know a lot of people who are, and I see no reason why they should be denied the 'joys' of technology just because some greedy politicians and businessfolk have ripped them off, and caused them to lose their jobs.
And....., what I cannot afford, I DO do without.
I wonder, if you were in the same position as these unfortunate people, what would YOU do?
Get down on your knees and beg?
Hmmmm!
I think you just might.

JohnC said on Thursday, 14 May 2009

Isn't there something rather sad about people breaking the law just to get another Windows OS? 7 isn't much better than Vista, which was crap, and with all the XP extensions and even additions to some 7 versions Microsoft are admitting as much.Shouldn't we all be thinking of giving Microsoft a fright by boycotting 7 and going for a linux OS instead?

Bryan Smith said on Thursday, 14 May 2009

John Doe talks self-serving rubbish. If you can't afford Windows 7, don't get it. It's not crucial. Theft is theft. Some people have more money than you. Get over it or have a sad life. I am, however, sorry to hear that 'politicians and businessfolk' have ripped you off. Makes a change from 'peados and asylum seekers' tho, no?

John doe said on Thursday, 14 May 2009

LOL!!!
Nobody has ripped ME off.
And this is getting boring and obviously pointless in the face of so much ignorance and Bill Jobs buttlicking going on around here, so I bid you all the fondest farewells and leave you to your bells and whistles and glossy interfaces.
Toodle pip!

Steve Gates said on Thursday, 14 May 2009

I happen to personally know John Doe and he is the loveliest person I have ever met.
He has saved the world on more than one occasion, and takes no credit for it whatsoever, preferring to shun the limelight, and work behind the scenes, as it were.
I happen to know that he is, at present, negotiating with the Galactic Federation for Universal Peace and Goodwill, with a view to recruiting the people of Earth into said organisation for the mutual benefit of all lifeforms throughout the known universe.

I bet you all feel rather foolish now, don't you?

Don't worry though.
I'll put in a good word for you, and I'm sure he'll forgive you and let you join too.

Love in the eternal.

S.G.

Peter said on Thursday, 14 May 2009

Windows 7RC is free for a years useage - all they ask for is some contact info and a little help discovering the bugs, so why the demand for a pirate copy? The people who have downloaded one must be poorly informed or stupid I think?

Oh brother said on Thursday, 14 May 2009

Being that ANYONE can download an official copy of either 32 or 64 Win7 RC why get it from somewhere you can't verify it's clean? BTW, you don't even have to buy it since it's not for sale yet because it's still not production code and IT'S FREE.

Petroff said on Thursday, 14 May 2009

Do we think it might have occurred to Microsoft to facilitate the release of some trojan infected pirated copies to frighten off would-be purchasers? or is that too cynical?

Oh brother said on Thursday, 14 May 2009

Why are morons here talking about purchases?????? Do you understand anything? Or you just like to spread FUD? Windows 7 is FREE, F-R-E-E, currently as it is only at release candidate stage. If anyone is paying for a copy of Windows 7 RC then you deserve what you get. ANYONE can download a copy direct from Microsoft AND you can get as many installation keys as you'd like.

RC said on Friday, 15 May 2009

To test this I just downloaded an image of Win7 64 RC from a certain newsgroup known to carry the Win7 Beta iso images. I compared it bit for bit to my MS authentically downloaded iso and they were a perfect match.

Anonymous said on Friday, 15 May 2009

sounds like more propaganda than fact.

zzyzx said on Friday, 15 May 2009

Sounds like a boogie man story. It undetectable, it will blow up your computer, it will steal from you... Brother...

Follow the $$$ trail for who has the most to gain from such a story. That's were it probably started.

Rutland said on Friday, 15 May 2009

Who wants Widows 7 anyway? It's just lining Bill Gates pockets even more!

tricky said on Friday, 15 May 2009

Why bother stealing something that you can download for free anyway? Downloading from suspect sites is just asking for trouble.

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