Shadow Brokers Dump NSA Spyware Tools
Posted by: Timothy Weaver on 01/13/2017 08:08 AM
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The group calling itself the Shadow Brokers, who claimed to have hacked the NSA, is dumping tools that appear designed to spy on Windows systems.
The group had been trying to sell the tools for 1 million bitcoins or what was at the time US$584 million. They didn't get any buyers. At best, they were offered 10 bitcoins.
According to security researchers, these tools contained previously unknown and valuable hacking exploits. The dump consisted of 61 files that security researchers had not seen before, but Kaspersky flagged as harmful.
The groups final message stated in broken English: “Despite theories, it always being about bitcoins for TheShadowBrokers.”
Jake Williams, founder of Rendition InfoSec, a security provider, said that he suspects the group is likely spies working for the Russian government. They claim to still be holding onto many more files. They have said the reserved files are still up for sale for 10,000 bitcoins.
Microsoft stated on Thursday that they are investigating the dump.
Source: NetWork World
The group had been trying to sell the tools for 1 million bitcoins or what was at the time US$584 million. They didn't get any buyers. At best, they were offered 10 bitcoins.According to security researchers, these tools contained previously unknown and valuable hacking exploits. The dump consisted of 61 files that security researchers had not seen before, but Kaspersky flagged as harmful.
The groups final message stated in broken English: “Despite theories, it always being about bitcoins for TheShadowBrokers.”
Jake Williams, founder of Rendition InfoSec, a security provider, said that he suspects the group is likely spies working for the Russian government. They claim to still be holding onto many more files. They have said the reserved files are still up for sale for 10,000 bitcoins.
Microsoft stated on Thursday that they are investigating the dump.
Source: NetWork World
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