Webcam Hijackers Busted
Authorities in 16 countries take action against users of the imfamous BlackShades malware tool.
Police around the world have begun a crackdown on users of of the imfamous BlackShades malware tool, which is thought to infect over half a million computers in 100 countries. 97 people in 16 countries were arrested in near-simultaneous fashion to prevent tip-offs through the shadowy network of the hacker underground.
BlackShades has several powerful features. The tool lets the attacker encrypt and lock files, forcing the victim to pay a ransom, and it also has the ability to intercept keystrokes, which helps the attacker discover passwords and study the online behavior of the victim. Perhaps the best known features of the BlackShades Remote Access Tool ( or "RAT") is its ability to highjack the victim's webcam. Widespread reports highlight the problem of attackers using BlackShades to capture videos and still pictures of victims in their bedroom. The California teen who was convicted of video recording the future Miss Teen USA and several other young women undressing in their bedrooms reportedly had BlackShades on his computer.
Several news sources say Blackshades co-developer, American Michael Hogue, was arrested in 2012 and is cooperating with law enforcement officers. Reports also state that BlackShades owner Alex Yucel was arrested in Moldova last year.
Issue 269/2023
Buy this issue as a PDF
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Find SysAdmin Jobs
News
-
Kubuntu Focus Announces XE Gen 2 Linux Laptop
Another Kubuntu-based laptop has arrived to be your next ultra-portable powerhouse with a Linux heart.
-
MNT Seeks Financial Backing for New Seven-Inch Linux Laptop
MNT Pocket Reform is a tiny laptop that is modular, upgradable, recyclable, reusable, and ships with Debian Linux.
-
Ubuntu Flatpak Remix Adds Flatpak Support Preinstalled
If you're looking for a version of Ubuntu that includes Flatpak support out of the box, there's one clear option.
-
Gnome 44 Release Candidate Now Available
The Gnome 44 release candidate has officially arrived and adds a few changes into the mix.
-
Flathub Vying to Become the Standard Linux App Store
If the Flathub team has any say in the matter, their product will become the default tool for installing Linux apps in 2023.
-
Debian 12 to Ship with KDE Plasma 5.27
The Debian development team has shifted to the latest version of KDE for their testing branch.
-
Planet Computers Launches ARM-based Linux Desktop PCs
The firm that originally released a line of mobile keyboards has taken a different direction and has developed a new line of out-of-the-box mini Linux desktop computers.
-
Ubuntu No Longer Shipping with Flatpak
In a move that probably won’t come as a shock to many, Ubuntu and all of its official spins will no longer ship with Flatpak installed.
-
openSUSE Leap 15.5 Beta Now Available
The final version of the Leap 15 series of openSUSE is available for beta testing and offers only new software versions.
-
Linux Kernel 6.2 Released with New Hardware Support
Find out what's new in the most recent release from Linus Torvalds and the Linux kernel team.