Report Claims U.S. Embedded Spyware Overseas

Report Claims U.S. Embedded Spyware Overseas

The United States may have permanently embedded surveillance and sabotage tools in a variety of networks

  • By Matt Holden
  • Feb 18, 2015

According to a report, the United States has found a way to permanently embed surveillance and sabotage tools in computers and networks in countries such as Iran, Russia, Pakistan, China and Afghanistan.

Kaspersky Lab, a Russian cybersecurity firm, presented findings at a conference in Mexico where it said implants had been placed by a group called the “Equation Group,” otherwise known as the National Security Agency (NSA) and the United States Cyber Command (USCC).

The effectiveness of these implants is due to their ability to infect the firmware in computers, allowing viruses to stay in systems even when operating systems are wiped and replaced. This allows American intelligence agencies to take encryption keys off of a machine and unlock scrambled contents.

Kaspersky stated that this group “surpasses anything known in terms of complexity and sophistication of techniques, and that has been active for almost two decades.”

About the Author

Matt Holden is an Associate Content Editor for 1105 Media, Inc. He received his MFA and BA in journalism from Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana. He currently writes and edits for Occupational Health & Safety magazine, and Security Today.

Featured

  • Progressing in Capabilities

    Progressing in Capabilities

    Hazardous areas within industries like oil and gas, manufacturing, agriculture and the like, have long-sought reliable video surveillance cameras and equipment that can operate safely in these harsh and unpredictable environments. Read Now

  • A Comprehensive Nationwide Solution

    A Comprehensive Nationwide Solution

    Across the United States, manufacturing facilities, distribution centers, truck yards, parking lots and car dealerships all have a common concern. They are targets for catalytic converters. In nearly every region, cases of catalytic converter thefts have skyrocketed. Read Now

  • Planning for Your Perimeter

    Planning for Your Perimeter

    The perimeter is an organization’s first line of defense and a critical element of any security and surveillance program. Even if a building’s interior or exterior security is strong, without a solid perimeter surveillance approach any company or business is vulnerable. Read Now

  • The Key Issue

    The Key Issue

    It is February 2014. A woman is getting ready in her room on a cruise ship when she hears a knock on the door; it is a crewmember delivering breakfast. She is not presentable so she tells him to leave it by the door. Read Now

Most   Popular

Featured Cybersecurity

New Products

  • Tyco Kantech EntraPass security management software

    Tyco Kantech EntraPass security management software

    Johnson Controls, the global leader in smart, healthy and sustainable buildings, and architect of the Open Blue digital connected platforms, has released the newest version of the Tyco Kantech EntraPass security management software. 3

  • SecureAuth

    SecureAuth

    The acceleration of digital transformation initiatives as a result of COVID-19 has created a lasting impact on how businesses empower their workforce and engage customers. 3

  • ComNet CNGE6FX2TX4PoE

    The ComNet cost-efficient CNGE6FX2TX4PoE is a six-port switch that offers four Gbps TX ports that support the IEEE802.3at standard and provide up to 30 watts of PoE to PDs. It also has a dedicated FX/TX combination port as well as a single FX SFP to act as an additional port or an uplink port, giving the user additional options in managing network traffic. The CNGE6FX2TX4PoE is designed for use in unconditioned environments and typically used in perimeter surveillance. 3