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Super-Sneaky Malware Found in Companies Worldwide – CNN

February 18, 2015

Super-Sneaky Malware Found in Companies Worldwide – CNN

CNN, By Jose Pagliary

A shadowy hacking group has infected computers at companies, universities and governments worldwide with the sneakiest malware ever.

That's according to a report Monday by Internet security company Kaspersky, which described a hacking campaign "that exceeds anything we have ever seen before." The mysterious group, which researchers nicknamed "the Equation group," uses malware that's unusually quiet, complex and powerful.

And in some cases, it planted spyware on computers' firmware, the programming that lives permanently on hardware. It's an unheard-of move that means the malware can avoid detection by antivirus software. Reinstalling a computer's operating system or reformatting the hard disk won't even fix the problem.

If you've got this, you might as well throw your computer away.

What's even more interesting is that Kaspersky's researchers say that the Equation group uses a hacking tool called "GROK." That's a tool used exclusively by the NSA's elite cyber-warfare unit, Tailored Access Operations, according to classified NSA documents released by former contractor Edward Snowden last year. Read more.

Super-Sneaky Malware Found in Companies Worldwide – CNN

Super-Sneaky Malware Found in Companies Worldwide – CNN
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Kaspersky is a global cybersecurity and digital privacy company founded in 1997. Innovating the industry with a Cyber Immunity approach, Kaspersky safeguards consumers, businesses, critical infrastructure, and governments from cyberthreats, with over a billion devices protected to date.

Kaspersky ensures Cybersecurity True to Business, focusing on providing clear outcomes, protecting revenue, easing workloads and preventing downtime. Kaspersky’s deep threat intelligence and security expertise is constantly transforming into innovative solutions and services for organizations of every size, from small businesses to large enterprises, combining proven AI-driven protection technologies with simple management and expert support.

Recognized in independent tests and trusted by millions of individuals worldwide and nearly 200,000 organizations, Kaspersky helps detect threats earlier, respond faster and operate with greater confidence and freedom, protecting what matters most to our clients. Learn more at www.kaspersky.com.

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