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

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

Featured Cybersecurity

New Products

  • LiftMaster Garage Door Opener

    LiftMaster Garage Door Opener

    LiftMaster Transforms the Garage Door Opener Into a Sleek Smart Home Device That Does More Than Open and Close the Garage Door 3

  • Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

    Connect ONE®

    Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation. 3

  • Camden Door Controls Application Spec Guide

    Camden Door Controls Application Spec Guide

    Camden Door Controls, an industry-leading provider of innovative, high quality door activation and locking products, has published a new application spec guide for specification writers designing a wireless barrier-free restroom control system. 3