Malware is also ... open source

Malware programmers are also gradually turning to open source solutions in their work.

Increasing threat

In " 2006 Global Security Risk Report", security firm McAfee warned that more and more hackers are sharing their source code and ideas freely. Including the sharing of source code, technical documentation and annotations about how the code works. With these documents, the authors can easily correct their own development. The threat of global security is also increasing.

McAfee stressed that this is a really effective way of developing source code types - including legal software code and malware.

" Just like any other powerful support tool, open source can be used for other malicious purposes - in particular in the security field, " warns McAfee.

Application of open source solutions or source code sharing is extremely convenient for the development of "script kiddies" objects or those with limited knowledge in programming, including malware programming. They will now find it easy to download documents and scripts to further develop them into other malware versions.

Virus community . open

In addition, the McAfee report also suggested that the trend of establishing virtual communities or sharing information via Internet Relay Chat (IRC) channels is also emerging strongly in the virus programmers - especially those with links. regarding organized cybercrime groups.

However, such target groups will be very difficult to join open source communities due to their psychology to avoid attracting the attention of legal protection agencies.

Malware development is also a long-term development cycle - where the code is developed, the bugs are fixed, there is also a test version (beta) and the official version is released in the development community. malware. This process is quite similar to the software development process in legitimate open source communities.

" We can absolutely say that open source solutions have allowed them to create higher quality and efficient attacks, " warned McAfee. " Today's trend is group development ."

The hacker tools were also created and distributed for free under the open source model, McAfee said. Take the versions of SDBot, for example - a trojan capable of opening a backdoor on infected systems - actually an addition to the hacker FU toolkit. This tool can be found anywhere on the Internet. Not only that, McAfee said, if we take the time we can find many other kinds of malicious tools on the Internet.

Meanwhile, there are very few virus programmers "devoting" the time to create and fix a completely new virus from scratch. Hackers now also act as consultants, providing full of instructions when they decide to open the source code for malware.

" This is a very effective solution for developing malware, " McAfee concluded.

Hoang Dung