Torrented Windows 7 RC Helps to Build Botnet
Torrented Windows 7 RC Helps to Build Botnet
Posted 05/16/2009 at 11:41am
| by Justin Kerr
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Bit Torrent user’s who scored pre-released versions of the Windows 7 RC may have gotten more then they bargained for. Malware-laced copies of Microsoft’s newest OS were seeded to torrents in late April, and security researchers are warning users who may have downloaded Windows 7 from non-Microsoft sources, to format, and reinstall their OS.
Adoption rate of the pirated version has slowed since the official release, but as many as 27,000 machines were estimated to be compromised when the command and control center for the bot net was located and finally shut down on May 10th by authorities. Currently, researchers at Damballa are monitoring installations of the infected version, and estimate that approximately 1,600 new machines are added per day. The good news here is that new installations won’t be drafted into the bot net, but it’s still not a good idea to run software from non-trusted sources.
Blocking this type of infection is difficult researchers confess since the Trojan was integrated into the OS installer, and it became active immediately following setup. The situation is also compounded by the reality that Windows 7 still has very limited anti virus options. Operating systems however aren’t the only attack vector for those looking to poison torrents. Similar malware infested Trojans were found in other popular torrented applications including iWork 09 and even Photoshop CS4.
I guess you really do get what you pay for.
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linux_dork
May 20, 2009 at 9:55am
You have to be pretty daft to download an OS randomly through BitTorrent. Of COURSE it's going to have viruses/spyware/evil built right in.
hackman2007
May 17, 2009 at 9:53am
If Microsoft distributed via BitTorrent or any other filesharing means it would be slower.
Why? People wouldn't allow their computer to upload after it finished, they would just shut the computer down and begin installing. It would be heavily leeched and not seeded by many people.
Cache
May 16, 2009 at 7:37pm
I want to know how many people are downloading the Win7 RC via torrent since MS released it puiblicly. I want the RIAA and MPAA to know that even with something as wanted as the new OS offered for FREE, that people would still use a torrent to download it.
This is a lesson they sorely need to learn if they ever want to find ways to entice payments for their films/music online as an alternative to a cheap, free download.
Vano
May 17, 2009 at 3:09am
First of all, the leaked RC1 on torrents was 2 weeks before official public release, which means only a few people got access to the official version at that time.
Second, for many people downloading a torrent is much faster then downloading it from a trusted source.
These two facts were the main reason people using torrents.
periodhyphenund...
May 16, 2009 at 3:07pm
Windows 7 is still A Spyware/Malware infested O.S. regardless of where you get it!
Need Proof?
Try several trusted encryption programs instead of using BitLocker and see what happens.
Encryption programs that actually ARE safe are flagged by Windows 7 and you get a Blue Screen Error message when you try to open the disk.
Windows 7 copies the contents of RAM to your hard drive (Including the decryption Key) and will not allow you to open your Locked disk unless you go online to resolve the issue!
Now why on Earth would Microsoft or "Parties Unknown" require my decryption Key and prevent me from using a secure encryption program???
It appears that this is one reason Microsoft allows ALL outgoing data through your firewall without your consent.
I was also reading that BitLocker Portable is not actually "Portable" but requires that you install BitLocker on the recipients computer to open a BitLocker Disk!
This in itself is reason enough to avoid BitLocker like the Plague!
Another reason is the NSA's code name for BitLocker, called "Total Access"
Havok
June 08, 2009 at 5:26am
This is still a BETA. It is NOT RELEASED yet. Of course you'll find that some of these legacy apps you usewon't work! Daemon Tools has "issues" still with '7', and all the drivers you use are Vista ones, not Win7 drivers. Give it time. Between build 6084 and 7100, a lot of issues have been fixed with third party apps.
OMGWTFBBQ
bigtoyota479
May 17, 2009 at 10:21am
Yeah, this has nothing to do with the fact that it's a beta OS, and ecryption companies haven't updated their programs to work with it. Conspiracy theorists unite!
Cache
May 16, 2009 at 7:35pm
I have an encrypted drive using Truecrypt on my Win7 RC x64--no issues whatsoever. Given the ease that Truecrypt works, I see no reason to ever switch over to Bitlocker--there's just no point in it.
thecliogeek
June 07, 2009 at 6:26pm
Maybe (Period..) he is one of them that used BitTorrent to get his copy. :)
Hg Dragon
May 16, 2009 at 7:28pm
Yes, because every application should work and work correctly on an unofficial and still under development operating system and when they don't, it means the OS is completely vulnerable and unsecure.
whitneymr
May 16, 2009 at 3:33pm
I don't understand why Microsoft hasn't used bittorrent to distribute the beta and the RC. The download would have been quicker, tied up less bandwidth for MS and an official torrent would have stopped this.
Vegan
May 16, 2009 at 1:24pm
It has to do with obtaining 7 from dubious sources, not 7 itself. Getting an OS from a torrent is the most retarded thing someone could possibly do (unless the torrent is specifically endorsed by the developer).
Jesterace
May 16, 2009 at 4:40pm
Some people are just impatient and don't want to wait for actual release dates.
Jesterace
May 16, 2009 at 12:05pm
I guess I'm glad I held out for the release date. Heck, I'm still running Vista until 7 is released
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