Red October bugs remain even after they have been deleted Paris – Arabstoday Kaspersky Lab has reportedly identified a new computer virus it has dubbed \"Red October,” which is targeting eastern European countries and collecting classified files using NATO and EU encryption, the malware specialist announced on Monday.
\"The primary focus of this campaign targets countries in Eastern Europe, former USSR republics and countries in Central Asia, although victims can be found everywhere, including Western Europe and North America,\" the anti-virus software manufacturer said in a statement.
Kaspersky Lab added: “There is strong technical evidence to indicate the attackers have Russian-speaking origins.\"
Red October, which has been active since at least 2007, appears to collect files encrypted with software used by several entities from the EU to NATO, it added.
Kaspersky said Red October also infected smartphones and collected login information to test on other systems.
Red October has what Kaspersky Lab calls a unique \"resurrection\" module that hides in Adobe Reader and Microsoft Office programmes, allowing cyber warfare attackers to regain access if the virus is discovered and even removed.
In addition to diplomatic and governmental agencies of various countries across the world, Red October also targeted research institutions, energy and nuclear groups, as well as trade and aerospace targets, Kaspersky Lab added.
Founded in 1997, Kaspersky Lab employs more than 2,300 specialists and is a leading IT security and anti-virus software company.
Source: AFP