Kaspersky AV Rumours.

[NONG CHOK]

Hi there,  Since Putin and his cowboys attacked The Ukraine, all sorts of of rumours have been flying about. It all resolves around the fact that Kaspersky the owner is a Russian National. Now there's been allegations into hacking and spying of all Kaspersky programs by the Russian Government. I've used Kaspersky AV for many years now and I've never had one problem. Of course there's been no data or evidence to back up these claims. Do the people who make these claims ever consider that the US Government by the way of the CIA could be spying on the sites on their computers. When it comes to spying the US Government and the CIA aren't exactly sqeaky clean. Cheers,

[BigStar]

Conspiracy theories abound and we love them here. Whatever spying on you Russians are doing would pale in comparison to M'soft, Google, and Apple, not to mention countless apps. I wouldn't worry about it. If you're on Win 10 or 11, Defender is all you need. On 7, consider Bitdefender. 

 

Kapersky did good not very long ago identifying a new rootkit exploit, and has a good rootkit remover.

 

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Not just rumors. Government warnings:

 

Germany issues hacking warning for users of Russian anti-virus software Kaspersky

"BERLIN, March 15 (Reuters) - Germany's cyber security agency on Tuesday warned users of an anti-virus software developed by Moscow-based Kaspersky Lab that it poses a serious risk of a successful hacking attack.

 

The BSI agency said that the Russia-based cyber-security company could be coerced by Russian government agents to hack IT systems abroad or agents could clandestinely use its technology to launch cyberattacks without its knowledge.

 

Kaspersky said in a statement it was a privately-managed company with no ties to the Russian government. It said that the warning by BSI was politically motivated, adding it was in contact with the BSI to clarify the matter.

 

(more)

 

https://www.reuters.com/technology/germany-issues-hacking-warning-users-russian-anti-virus-software-kaspersky-2022-03-15/

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

And from prior:

 

Russian Hackers Stole NSA Tools From Contractor Who Used Kaspersky Software

Russian hackers were able to identify the material and access the contractor's home machine because he was using Kaspersky software, a former official said.

 

WASHINGTON — Russian government hackers stole highly sensitive U.S. spying tools after a contractor brought classified material home and put it on a computer that used Kaspersky anti-virus software, a former senior intelligence official briefed on the matter told NBC News.

 

The details were first reported Thursday by The Wall Street Journal.

 

The contractor, whose name has not been made public, worked for the National Security Agency, which specializes in hacking computers and eavesdropping on communications.

 

(more)

 

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/investigations/russian-hackers-stole-nsa-tools-contractor-who-used-kaspersky-software-n808101

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

"On 26 March 2022, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) put Kaspersky on its national security list, saying that it poses an "unacceptable risk" to the United States' national security. This forbids Kaspersky from receiving FCC funds through its Universal Service Fund. This follows a previous ban forbidding United States government agencies from using products made by the firm.^[63]

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaspersky_bans_and_allegations_of_Russian_government_ties#Russian_invasion_of_Ukraine

 

[PPGuy]

Interesting that the German cyber security head was also in with the Russians. Not just the recent Chancellor(s) are heavily linked to [Russia].

 

https://www.dw.com/en/german-cybersecurity-chief-fired-over-alleged-russia-ties/a-63479838

[Walker88]

Depending on who you are and what you do, it is wise to avoid Kaspersky. If there is nothing you do that would be of any interest to the SVR/FSB/GRU, then there is nothing to worry about.

 

I always laugh when people fear being bugged or monitored by CIA or NSA. Those orgs couldn't care less most people exist. Terrorists or adversaries like russians, chinese, iranians or north koreans maybe, but everybody else is irrelevant to them.

 

The irony is that most people give away all of their personal information without even being asked. Companies build profiles of folks who use their services, run algorithms on sites visited/comments made/purchases made/etc., and can pretty much tell what time in the morning someone takes a dump. Facebook is altruistic, just trying to bring people together? Ha!

[Lacessit]

37 minutes ago, Walker88 said:

 

The irony is that most people give away all of their personal information without even being asked. Companies build profiles of folks who use their services, run algorithms on sites visited/comments made/purchases made/etc., and can pretty much tell what time in the morning someone takes a dump. Facebook is altruistic, just trying to bring people together? Ha!

Maybe I am antisocial, but I completely fail to see the utility of Facebook and Twitter.

I have used LinkedIn on limited occasions, with very little personal information about myself in my profile.

Every time I get a "survey" from one of the companies I deal with, I delete it. If you want me to participate, pay me for my time.

[JimmyJ]

6 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

And from prior:

 

Russian Hackers Stole NSA Tools From Contractor Who Used Kaspersky Software

Russian hackers were able to identify the material and access the contractor's home machine because he was using Kaspersky software, a former official said.

 

WASHINGTON — Russian government hackers stole highly sensitive U.S. spying tools after a contractor brought classified material home and put it on a computer that used Kaspersky anti-virus software, a former senior intelligence official briefed on the matter told NBC News.

 

The details were first reported Thursday by The Wall Street Journal.

 

The contractor, whose name has not been made public, worked for the National Security Agency, which specializes in hacking computers and eavesdropping on communications.

 

(more)

 

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/investigations/russian-hackers-stole-nsa-tools-contractor-who-used-kaspersky-software-n808101

 

An unnamed uninterviewed contractor and an unnamed uninterviewed former senior intelligence official.

 

Basically meaningless.

 

 

[moogradod]

1 hour ago, Walker88 said:

...........................

The irony is that most people give away all of their personal information without even being asked. Companies build profiles of folks who use their services, run algorithms on sites visited/comments made/purchases made/etc., and can pretty much tell what time in the morning someone takes a dump. Facebook is altruistic, just trying to bring people together? Ha!

I do not know how many people really realize how Big Data and AI work together. If they knew they would be much more careful.

 

1. Information about an individual is gatered regardless if there is a benefit of it or not. The result is an extremely big database about everybody. Some of the information might be used immediately but a vast amount is not or only limited (example: Your shoe size). So far no fear. It seems to be completely harmless.

 

2. AI algorithms will be developed (because it is AI, they may be invented bythe software of a processing device rather than a human) which will reveal correlations between information that nobody else has ever thought of. It might turn out that your shoe size combined with your nationality and favourite dish makes it probable that you are less credit worthy - or if taken to the extreme - dangerous - if you combine even more parameters.

 

3. The further that is developed, the more information state organizations may gather about you - much more then you know yourself. Suddenly you are denied international travel and you have no clue why.

 

You think that is some consipiracy theory ? It is not. Systems like this are already in place right now (in China) and are especially prone to be implemented in autocratic societies - which are on the rise. Ever read the phrase "We care about your privacy" on a website followed by a A-B choice to agree to what information you want to reveal while using the site ? I leave such a site immediately if this pops up. On my PC everything gets blocked as far as I can - "fingerprinting" etc. But even the speed whith which you fill out a form is sometimes a parameter which is collected.

 

It is not that I want you to panic - but to be really aware of what is going on is for your best benefit.

[BigStar]

1 hour ago, Lacessit said:

Maybe I am antisocial, but I completely fail to see the utility of Facebook and Twitter.

I have used LinkedIn on limited occasions, with very little personal information about myself in my profile.

Every time I get a "survey" from one of the companies I deal with, I delete it. If you want me to participate, pay me for my time.

I hate facebook but I've grown to like following some Twitter feeds--without having a Twitter account myself. There you can quickly get the latest thoughts/info/advice posted by some independent thinker on subjects of interest without having to visit a webpage and wading through a lot of filler.

 

It's just a matter of being very selective amid all the usual cr_a_p.

[NONG CHOK]

Whether these allegations are true or not I can't come to terms with the the US paranoia. Every country who doesn't suck up to them goes on their black list. Seriously do US citizens believe that their own CIA doesn't spy on them. I was told by a very good source into these matters that it doesn't affect the normal Joe Blow. It's more into terrorism and money laundering etc where countries presume certain people are a National risk. So we all have to cease purchasing from certain countries but Governments such as the US can please themselves. A democracy ? Just take a look at the way the Julian Assange case has unfolded. Cheers.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

7 hours ago, NONG CHOK said:

Of course there's been no data or evidence to back up these claims.

 

6 minutes ago, NONG CHOK said:

I was told by a very good source into these matters that it doesn't affect the normal Joe Blow.

 

Well, since you were clearly wrong about the absence of data or evidence regarding the use of Kaspersky software for hacking, as the above news reports have demonstrated, not sure your second claim above is any more believable.

 

See the following:

 

"However, Kaspersky security software affects millions of computer users around the world, according to the company’s marketing materials. Even though consumers apparently weren’t the main targets, it seems that many home computers may have been searched for information of potential interest to Russian spy agencies."

...

"“It’s a big deal,” says Blake Darché, a former NSA cybersecurity analyst and the founder of the cybersecurity firm Area 1. “For any consumers or small businesses that are concerned about privacy or have sensitive information, I wouldn’t recommend running Kaspersky.”

 

https://www.consumerreports.org/privacy/what-to-do-about-the-kaspersky-data-hack--a4667463031/

 

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

And more:

How Israel Caught Russian Hackers Scouring the World for U.S. Secrets

It was a case of spies watching spies watching spies: Israeli intelligence officers looked on in real time as Russian government hackers searched computers around the world for the code names of American intelligence programs.

 

What gave the Russian hacking, detected more than two years ago, such global reach was its improvised search tool — antivirus software made by a Russian company, Kaspersky Lab, that is used by 400 million people worldwide, including by officials at some two dozen American government agencies.

 

The Israeli officials who had hacked into Kaspersky’s own network alerted the United States to the broad Russian intrusion, which has not been previously reported, leading to a decision just last month to order Kaspersky software removed from government computers.

 

(more)

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/10/technology/kaspersky-lab-israel-russia-hacking.html?_r=0

 

"Russian government hackers searched computers around the world" -- that means, computers belonging to general members of the public who happened to be running Kaspersky software on their computers.

 

No thanks!