NEWS
NEWS
Updates on technologies, trends, and tools.
Dyreza Malware is Back
The Proofpoint security firm reports that attackers have shifted the focus of the powerful Dyreza malware tool to operate outside of the banking sector. Dyreza gained fame as a man-in-the-middle banking trojan used to steal passwords for online banking accounts. Proofpoint reports that Dyreza is increasing attacking fulfillment services for online shopping sites.
According to a report in the Register, Dyreza uses "Word macros to compromise phished users in what is an old attack vector that has gained latent popularity."
Kernel Developer Matthew Garrett Forks the Linux Kernel
Prominent Linux kernel developer Matthew Garrett announced he is forking the Linux kernel. Garrett, who was instrumental in exposing the problems with Linux compatibility in UEFI secure boot a few years ago, says he is frustrated with the disrespect and argumentative tone of the Linux development community.
In his personal blog, Garrett writes, "I remember having to deal with interminable arguments over the naming of an interface because Linus has an undying hatred of BSD securelevel, or having my name forever associated with the deepthroating of Microsoft because Linus couldn't be bothered asking questions about the reasoning behind a design before trashing it."
Kernel leader Linus Torvalds has come under fire in the past for using harsh language and negative criticism. Another noted kernel developer, Sarah Sharp, who was the Linux kernel coordinator for the FOSS Outreach Program for Women and maintainer of the USB 3.0 host controller driver, also dropped out of the kernel community recently for similar reasons. In her own blog post, Sharp does not single out Linus specifically but takes on the whole kernel culture. "I could not work with people who helpfully encouraged newcomers to send patches, and then argued that maintainers should be allowed to spew whatever vile words they needed to in order to maintain radical emotional honesty. I did not want to work professionally with people who were allowed to get away with subtle sexist or homophobic jokes … ."
Time will tell if these recent defections will cause a change in kernel community attitudes. Both Sharp and Garrett seem to doubt that reform will come anytime soon. The presence of an alternative kernel development tree maintained by a programmer of Garrett's stature and experience certainly adds a new dimension to the drama. Forks happen from time to time in the open source community, which is both the curse and the magic of Free Software. The question is, does Garrett really want to start an alternative development effort, or does he just want to implement his own changes without the tension and theater of the Linux kernel development war zone.
Bugzilla Bug
The Bugzilla bug database system has a flaw that could allow an attacker to access the database and read about potential exploits before the patch is released to the public. The problem affects Bugzilla implementations that use email-based permissions. Login names longer than 127 characters are "silently truncated in MySQL," which could allow an attacker to assign permissions to an email address that is different from the address originally requested.
The fix for this bug is included in the Bugzilla 4.2.15, 4.4.10, and 5.0.1 releases. All Bugzilla users are encouraged to upgrade.
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you've found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
Fedora 39 Beta is Now Available for Testing
For fans and users of Fedora Linux, the first beta of release 39 is now available, which is a minor upgrade but does include GNOME 45.
-
Fedora Linux 40 to Drop X11 for KDE Plasma
When Fedora 40 arrives in 2024, there will be a few big changes coming, especially for the KDE Plasma option.
-
Real-Time Ubuntu Available in AWS Marketplace
Anyone looking for a Linux distribution for real-time processing could do a whole lot worse than Real-Time Ubuntu.
-
KSMBD Finally Reaches a Stable State
For those who've been looking forward to the first release of KSMBD, after two years it's no longer considered experimental.
-
Nitrux 3.0.0 Has Been Released
The latest version of Nitrux brings plenty of innovation and fresh apps to the table.
-
Linux From Scratch 12.0 Now Available
If you're looking to roll your own Linux distribution, the latest version of Linux From Scratch is now available with plenty of updates.
-
Linux Kernel 6.5 Has Been Released
The newest Linux kernel, version 6.5, now includes initial support for two very exciting features.
-
UbuntuDDE 23.04 Now Available
A new version of the UbuntuDDE remix has finally arrived with all the updates from the Deepin desktop and everything that comes with the Ubuntu 23.04 base.
-
Star Labs Reveals a New Surface-Like Linux Tablet
If you've ever wanted a tablet that rivals the MS Surface, you're in luck as Star Labs has created such a device.
-
SUSE Going Private (Again)
The company behind SUSE Linux Enterprise, Rancher, and NeuVector recently announced that Marcel LUX III SARL (Marcel), its majority shareholder, intends to delist it from the Frankfurt Stock Exchange by way of a merger.