Security firm ESET has spotted a new malware designed to target embedded Linux devices, infecting them and then giving full access to hackers. Worse even, the malware then proceeds on to leaving the backdoor open which could be used to execute further malicious tasks including, but not limited to, launching DDoS attacks.
It is known by the moniker ‘Rakos’, and as the folks over at ESET points out, the malware mostly attacks embedded devices and servers with an open SSH port before initiating a brute force attack to crack the password.
According to the researchers who studied Rakos, its creators want the malware to infect as many systems as possible, paving the way for a botnet that could be used to kick off other malicious campaigns.
As for the modus operandi, the perpetrators behind Rakas first look for vulnerable systems by scanning predefined IP ranges. However, because they rely on brute force attacks to breach the target systems, only those with weak passwords end up being compromised.
Source: http://www.mobipicker.com/new-linux-malware-spotted-gives-hackers-full-control-device-protect-embedded-device/
Submitted by: Arnfried Walbrecht
Malware is such a broad term and this article makes malicious use of this fact, crafting a title that may imply that the malware is a computer virus or a worm for Linux. Instead, it’s just a script that tries to brute-force SSH logins.
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