Chuck Norris Botnet Affects Linux Routers
Researchers at the University of Masaryk in Brno, Czech Republic, have detected a botnet that can hit Linux routers and DSL modems.
According to an article in the Prague Daily Monitor, researchers detected the trojan while working on securing the Czech national defense ministry, known as CYBER, against Internet attacks.
Head of the security project Jan Vykopal identified the suspect as a self-perpetuating trojan that first and foremost attacks Linux routers and DSL modems with weak usernames and passwords. The botnet was first detected in a D-Link device, Vykopal revealed in a PCWorld article. Next to MIPS-based Linux devices, the Chuck Norris botnet can also affect satellite TV receivers.
The botnet found its first martial arts moves from a server out of Italy, getting its name from a bit of source code with the line "in nome di Chuck Norris." It was immediately removed from the Net after its discovery and reporting. Since then, however, a number of copies have been identified worldwide. Infected devices are notably in Europe, South America and China, with the exact number not known.
The botnet's main objective is to gather passwords and access to Internet banking, online shops and related sites
Just Say No. The Chuck Norris botnet lives in the router's RAM, so a simple restart will remove it. The easiest way to avoid any further attacks through the Web interface is by using a strong password on the router or modem.
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
Systemd Fixes Bug While Facing New Challenger in GNU Shepherd
The systemd developers have fixed a really nasty bug amid the release of the new GNU Shepherd init system.
-
AlmaLinux 10.0 Beta Released
The AlmaLinux OS Foundation has announced the availability of AlmaLinux 10.0 Beta ("Purple Lion") for all supported devices with significant changes.
-
Gnome 47.2 Now Available
Gnome 47.2 is now available for general use but don't expect much in the way of newness, as this is all about improvements and bug fixes.
-
Latest Cinnamon Desktop Releases with a Bold New Look
Just in time for the holidays, the developer of the Cinnamon desktop has shipped a new release to help spice up your eggnog with new features and a new look.
-
Armbian 24.11 Released with Expanded Hardware Support
If you've been waiting for Armbian to support OrangePi 5 Max and Radxa ROCK 5B+, the wait is over.
-
SUSE Renames Several Products for Better Name Recognition
SUSE has been a very powerful player in the European market, but it knows it must branch out to gain serious traction. Will a name change do the trick?
-
ESET Discovers New Linux Malware
WolfsBane is an all-in-one malware that has hit the Linux operating system and includes a dropper, a launcher, and a backdoor.
-
New Linux Kernel Patch Allows Forcing a CPU Mitigation
Even when CPU mitigations can consume precious CPU cycles, it might not be a bad idea to allow users to enable them, even if your machine isn't vulnerable.
-
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9.5 Released
Notify your friends, loved ones, and colleagues that the latest version of RHEL is available with plenty of enhancements.
-
Linux Sees Massive Performance Increase from a Single Line of Code
With one line of code, Intel was able to increase the performance of the Linux kernel by 4,000 percent.