Response to FUD: "Is Linux Secure?"
Submitted by Roy Schestowitz on Thursday 16th of April 2020 03:27:14 AM
Filed under 
-
Decade of the RATs: Is Linux Secure?
Just recently, LinuxSecurity published a feature article exploring the rise in attacks targeting Linux, their implications for Linux users and the conclusions that can be drawn about the security of the operating system based on this disheartening trend. Now, yet another frightening attack campaign exploiting Linux has come to light.
In a new report, security researchers from BlackBerry reveal that Chinese state hackers have been successfully infiltrating critical Linux servers with little to no detection since 2012. The researchers identified a previously undocumented Linux malware toolset including two kernel-level rootkits and three backdoors. BlackBerry’s research has also linked this “decade of Chinese RATs” (remote access trojans - or programs that enable covert surveillance or provide threat actors with the ability to gain unauthorized access to a victim PC) to one of the largest Linux botnets ever discovered, concluding that the campaign - which has impacted a significant number of organizations - has been “highly profitable” and “the duration of the infections is lengthy”. The cross-platform aspect of these attacks is also particularly concerning, given the security challenges that have arisen as a result of the sudden increase in remote workers due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
[...]
Although Linux is becoming increasingly popular and mainstream due to the advantages it offers users including high levels of flexibility and security, the OS still holds a mere 1.71% of the global desktop operating system market share, compared to 77.1% for Windows. Initially - this may give the impression that attacks targeting Linux are relatively insignificant. What often gets overlooked is that Linux powers 75% of all web servers and major cloud service providers and 98% of the world’s most advanced supercomputers. BlackBerry’s report reinforces the importance of these persistent RAT infections by listing all of the organizations that use Linux, which include the US Department of Defense and most other US government agencies, Google, Amazon and Yahoo. Needless to say, the role that Linux - and the attacks against it - plays in most of our lives is pretty significant, whether we recognize it or not. Cornelius evaluates, "The machines running Linux are extraordinarily important devices but they are in the minority." Nevertheless, the security of Linux servers is a critical issue.
[...]
These attacks do; however, serve as a much-needed wakeup call for the security community that more needs to be done to protect Linux servers. BlackBerry’s report reveals that security solutions and defensive coverage available within Linux environments is “immature at best”. Endpoint protection, detection and response products are inadequately utilized by too many Linux users, and endpoint solutions available for Linux systems are often insufficient in combating advanced exploits. Cornelius evaluates: “Security products and services that support Linux, offerings that might detect and give us insight into a threat like this, are relatively lacking compared to other operating systems, and security research about APT use of Linux malware is also relatively sparse.”
-
How Chinese hackers exploited Linux servers undetected for eight years [Ed: Not only Linux]
-
Chinese hackers targeting Linux servers [Ed: Not "Linux" per se]
-
China-backed Hackers Attacked Linux Servers For A Decade: Report [Ed: Reading the same 'script]
»
-
- Login or register to post comments
Printer-friendly version- 3428 reads
PDF version
More in Tux Machines
- Highlights
- Front Page
- Latest Headlines
- Archive
- Recent comments
- All-Time Popular Stories
- Hot Topics
- New Members
digiKam 7.7.0 is released
After three months of active maintenance and another bug triage, the digiKam team is proud to present version 7.7.0 of its open source digital photo manager. See below the list of most important features coming with this release.
|
Dilution and Misuse of the "Linux" Brand
|
Samsung, Red Hat to Work on Linux Drivers for Future Tech
The metaverse is expected to uproot system design as we know it, and Samsung is one of many hardware vendors re-imagining data center infrastructure in preparation for a parallel 3D world.
Samsung is working on new memory technologies that provide faster bandwidth inside hardware for data to travel between CPUs, storage and other computing resources. The company also announced it was partnering with Red Hat to ensure these technologies have Linux compatibility.
|
today's howtos
|
.svg_.png)
Content (where original) is available under CC-BY-SA, copyrighted by original author/s.
After 8 Years of Remote-Access Trojans Attacks, Can We Still...
After 8 Years of Remote-Access Trojans Attacks, Can We Still Say Linux is Secure?