Pirate copies of Windows 7 have been found with hard-to-detect trojans intended for cybercrime purposes, according to a security firm.
Dodgy copies being peddled by cybercriminals
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:
Comments
tricky said: Why bother stealing something that you can download for free anyway Downloading from suspect sites is just asking for trouble
Rutland said: Who wants Widows 7 anyway Its just lining Bill Gates pockets even more
zzyzx said: 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 Thats were it probably started
Anonymous said: sounds like more propaganda than fact
RC said: 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
Oh brother said: 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 youd like
Petroff said: 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: Being that ANYONE can download an official copy of either 32 or 64 Win7 RC why get it from somewhere you cant verify its clean BTW you dont even have to buy it since its not for sale yet because its still not production code and ITS FREE
Peter said: 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
Steve Gates said: I happen to personally know John Doe and he is the loveliest person I have ever metHe 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 wereI 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 universeI bet you all feel rather foolish now dont youDont worry thoughIll put in a good word for you and Im sure hell forgive you and let you join tooLove in the eternalSG
John doe said: LOLNobody has ripped ME offAnd 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 interfacesToodle pip
Bryan Smith said: John Doe talks self-serving rubbish If you cant afford Windows 7 dont get it Its 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
JohnC said: Isnt there something rather sad about people breaking the law just to get another Windows OS 7 isnt much better than Vista which was crap and with all the XP extensions and even additions to some 7 versions Microsoft are admitting as muchShouldnt we all be thinking of giving Microsoft a fright by boycotting 7 and going for a linux OS instead
John doe said: Im 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 jobsAnd what I cannot afford I DO do withoutI wonder if you were in the same position as these unfortunate people what would YOU doGet down on your knees and begHmmmmI think you just might
callum said: If youre skint go without You can justify stealing food if you cant afford to eat but stealing the latest version of Windows
John Doe said: Tight fistedHow about skintIn these financially troubled times I dont see any price reductions being made by these stingy greedy TIGHT FISTED companies who are making more money than they know what to do withNot 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 piracyI think someone needs to get out more and see things as they really are
Klingstin said: 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
mickeblue said: Worth knowing
me said: So basically what they are saying dont copy it buy it