NEWS
Compromised Linux Servers Fall into Massive Botnet
The security firm Akamai is reporting on a giant botnet populated by Linux servers that is capable of delivering a distributed denial-of-service attack of up to a whopping 179Gbps. The attack uses SYN and DNS traffic to sniff out victim web servers. So far, the victims have been mostly in Asia, and many are companies concentrated in the gaming sector.
At the core of the attack is a malware trojan known as XOR.DDoS. The attackers typically infiltrate the system by brute-forcing SSH access. A really strong password is the best defense against the initial entry.
This attack underscores an increasing tendency for attackers to focus on Linux. This trend probably does not reflect reduced security of Linux systems but could be a response to the fact that Windows security has improved in recent years. The average Windows system is not the low-hanging fruit it once was, which has forced attackers to spread out their search for targets. The trend might also reflect overconfidence of the Linux community in assuming their systems are immune from attack. (These people already knew they were supposed to use strong passwords for SSH, right?)
Akamai provides a full report on the attack for users who are willing to provide contact information.
Rackspace Will Resell Amazon Cloud Services
Cloud vendor Rackspace has entered into a partnership with Amazon Web Services (AWS). The deal is similar to the pact Rackspace signed with Microsoft in July, in which Rackspace acts as a reseller for the background cloud vendor.
The news provides some insights into Amazon's global cloud strategy and resources. It appears that Amazon has more capacity than it can sell on its own, so it is drawn to the role of serving as a wholesaler for cloud space marketed by other companies. Rackspace, on the other hand, offers significant market presence and sales resources but could be finding it more difficult to compete directly with huge data vendors like Google, Amazon, and Microsoft for cheap cloud space. The move could thus lead to a winning scenario for both companies. The fact that Rackspace now has partnerships with both Amazon and Microsoft could put the company in a strong position to negotiate favorable terms if they succeed in their new role as a cloud reseller.
Attackers Buy Real Ads for Fake Websites
The security blog malwarebytes.org reports that a recent global malware attack actually used paid ads on some well-known websites and ad networks. According to senior security researcher Jérôme Segura, attackers posed as legitimate ad buyers and constructed elaborate but fake websites advertising real estate, security software, stock market tips, and other services typically found in web ads. A user who clicked on the ad was subjected to an attack through the notorious Angler Exploit Kit.
The attack ran for three weeks and is known to have appeared on sites such as eBay UK, Answers.com, legacy.com, and several prime porn destinations.
« Previous 1 2 3 4 Next »
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
Direct Download
Read full article as PDF:
Price $2.95
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Find SysAdmin Jobs
News
-
KDE Plasma 5.27 Beta is Ready for Testing
The latest beta iteration of the KDE Plasma desktop is now available and includes some important additions and fixes.
-
Netrunner OS 23 Is Now Available
The latest version of this Linux distribution is now based on Debian Bullseye and is ready for installation and finally hits the KDE 5.20 branch of the desktop.
-
New Linux Distribution Built for Gamers
With a Gnome desktop that offers different layouts and a custom kernel, PikaOS is a great option for gamers of all types.
-
System76 Beefs Up Popular Pangolin Laptop
The darling of open-source-powered laptops and desktops will soon drop a new AMD Ryzen 7-powered version of their popular Pangolin laptop.
-
Nobara Project Is a Modified Version of Fedora with User-Friendly Fixes
If you're looking for a version of Fedora that includes third-party and proprietary packages, look no further than the Nobara Project.
-
Gnome 44 Now Has a Release Date
Gnome 44 will be officially released on March 22, 2023.
-
Nitrux 2.6 Available with Kernel 6.1 and a Major Change
The developers of Nitrux have officially released version 2.6 of their Linux distribution with plenty of new features to excite users.
-
Vanilla OS Initial Release Is Now Available
A stock GNOME experience with on-demand immutability finally sees its first production release.
-
Critical Linux Vulnerability Found to Impact SMB Servers
A Linux vulnerability with a CVSS score of 10 has been found to affect SMB servers and can lead to remote code execution.
-
Linux Mint 21.1 Now Available with Plenty of Look and Feel Changes
Vera has arrived and although it is still using kernel 5.15, there are plenty of improvements sure to please everyone.