Russian hackers are targeting Ukraine (again)
Researchers have found rogue code that could be used to launch a major attack in the country.
The bad stuff: A report from Reuters says researchers at Cisco’s cybersecurity firm Taleo have discovered malware called VPNFilter that’s infected routers and other web gateway devices in over 54 countries. Many of the compromised machines are in Ukraine.
Made in Moscow: The code bears the hallmarks of Russian malware that attacked Ukrainian energy companies’ systems a couple of years ago. It’s capable of shutting down devices it infects, or using them to get access to other machines.
Why this matters: Ukraine is hosting a major European soccer final on May 26, which may be a tempting target for hackers. Unsurprisingly, this morning the Kremlin denied any such intentions. Security officials say companies should quickly install security updates from firms like Netgear and Linksys, whose devices have been targeted.
Deep Dive
Computing
A chip design that changes everything: 10 Breakthrough Technologies 2023
Computer chip designs are expensive and hard to license. That’s all about to change thanks to the popular open standard known as RISC-V.
Modern data architectures fuel innovation
More diverse data estates require a new strategy—and the infrastructure to support it.
Chinese chips will keep powering your everyday life
The war over advanced semiconductor technology continues, but China will likely take a more important role in manufacturing legacy chips for common devices.
The computer scientist who hunts for costly bugs in crypto code
Programming errors on the blockchain can mean $100 million lost in the blink of an eye. Ronghui Gu and his company CertiK are trying to help.
Stay connected
Get the latest updates from
MIT Technology Review
Discover special offers, top stories, upcoming events, and more.