Hackers Hit Dozens of Countries With a Stolen N.S.A. Tool

New York Times ^ | May 12, 2017 | By DAN BILEFSKY and NICOLE PERLROTH

[rarestia]

It is CRITICAL that Windows users update their operating systems with MS17-010. Patching information can be found here.

All jokes and blame aside, this is being heavily exploited and is condition red/severity A across every major security vendor in the world. If you think you are safe by not patching your machine, you're in for a rude awakening.

If you think you're safe using an operating system older than Vista, you're really just biding your time until you lose everything.

This vulnerability is in the SMB (Server Message Block) framework and is very easy to exploit.

Please do not become a statistic!

[dayglored]

PATCH NOW. RIGHT NOW! ... PING!

You can find all the Windows Ping list threads with FR search: just search on keyword "windowspinglist".

Thanks to rarestia for the ping!

[upchuck]

Related article:

https://theintercept.com/2017/05/12/the-nsas-lost-digital-weapon-is-helping-hijack-computers-around-the-world/

[upchuck]

Based on several articles I have read on this, the malware enters via a phishing email. Be careful out there.

I’ve added lots of filters to my email. About 40% of the email I receive is intercepted by the filters. In addition, my ISP has a block list for email which I use. The ISP sends me a list on a monthly basis listing the emails that have been blocked.

You can’t be too careful.

[TChad]

Interesting: Microsoft no longer supports Vista, but they released a Vista patch for this exploit. Nothing for XP.

[rarestia]

Vista Service Pack 2 is technically supported until 2019. If you check the Lifecycle Policy, you'll note a support caveat for service packs:

Support ends 24 months after the next service pack releases or at the end of the product's support lifecycle, whichever comes first.

[Yo-Yo]

I’m thinking that Obama was head honcho when the NSA tools walked into the real world.

[Sirius Lee]

They can give you a heart transplant. They can repair a shattered pelvis. But they can't update Windows.

"Dammit Jim! I'm a doctor, not a systems analyst"

[GOPJ]

Why doesn’t the NSA assume it’s POSSIBLE someone will steal their stuff... Then the NSA could build into the software a way to shut it down...

In all the thousand of lines of code it’s unlikely hackers would find the back door quickly enough...

Or can’t this be done?

[piasa]

Relates to this recent article about the Shadow Brokers ?

http://freerepublic.com/focus/news/3630886/posts

Also see Equation Group