New IoT Malware Spreading Worldwide Infecting Vulnerable Cameras – Global
A brand new IoT malware was discovered spreading like wildfire, infecting over 100,000 Internet-connected cameras already. Called Persirai, the new malware has been working on infecting Chinese-made wireless cameras since April, cyber security company Trend Micro said. The malware managed to infect so many devices by exploiting flaws in the cameras reported back in March. Then, Pierre Kim, a security researcher, discovered that numerous wireless cameras were affected by a vulnerability that allowed attackers to remotely execute code, making for a highly effective hijack. According to his claim, at least 1,250 camera models produced by a Chinese manufacturer carry the bug, which means there are plenty more cameras that could get hacked. Over the past month, Trend Micro says it noticed a new malware spreading by exploiting those very same products that were affected by the reported vulnerability. "It goes to show that the people behind this are probably more aware of how to use these vulnerabilities," noticed Jon Clay, Trend Micro director of global threat communications. According to the company, after running a Shodan search, there are about 120,000 cameras vulnerable to the malware. The purpose of this malware, it seems, is to infect these cameras and form a botnet, much like it always happens with IoT malware. These botnets can be used to carry DDoS attacks in order to force sites offline. So far, the botnet Persirai hasn't been used for any website attacks, but that's mostly because it seems like its creators are still testing the waters. An interesting fact about this malware, Trend Micro notes, is the fact that once it infects a device, it blocks anyone else from exploiting the same vulnerabilities. While it carries a different code, it does borrow some certain functions from Mirai, namely to scan the Internet for new devices to infect. The name of the manufacturer has not been released and will remain undisclosed until the patch is published.
CIA Forms Special North Korea Espionage Unit – North Korea and the United States
In a new provocative move, the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has announced the establishment of a special espionage center dedicated to dealing with North Korea. The espionage center will use all of the resources of the CIA and other US spy agencies to address ballistic and nuclear missile threats posed by North Korea, the CIA said on Wednesday. "Creating the Korea Mission Center allows us to more purposefully integrate and direct CIA efforts against the serious threats to the United States and its allies emanating from North Korea,” CIA Director Mike Pompeo said in a statement. The Korea espionage is the CIA’s 11th espionage center. The centers operate as a stand-alone, issue-focused entities that utilize and integrate all CIA elements and resources. Other espionage centers include Mission Center for Africa, Mission Center for Counterintelligence, Mission Center for "Counterterrorism" and Mission Center for Near East. The CIA move comes North Korea threatened to launch a series of retaliations on the US and South Korean spy agencies after an assassination attempt on its leader, Kim Jong-Un.
The Trans-Pacific Partnership Talks May Lead to $3 Billion Export Loss for U.S. – United States
The eleven remaining parties to the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP 11) began negotiations on a similar deal last week, to see if the countries could salvage the agreement despite the U.S. withdrawal, Nikkei Asian Review reports. In an effort to model the benefits of such a deal, the CanadaWest Foundation is set to publish a study next month, which POLITICO reports found economic gains for all signatories. However, the study found that the TPP 11 could lead to a $3 billion export loss for the U.S., compared to its projected $12.7 billion export gain under the original agreement. The biggest beneficiaries of such a deal would be Western Hemisphere countries, as well as automotive and business product exporters, who would benefit from free trade prices with both the U.S. and the TPP 11 region. The TPP seemed doomed when, within days of taking office, President Donald Trump formally withdrew the U.S. from the controversial agreement. Since then, however, Japan has taken the lead in salvaging the agreement — and appears to be largely succeeding. Nikkei Asian Review claims Japan expects a new deal this year, which, if the study reported by POLITICO holds true, would dole out harsh economic punishment to the U.S. for not being a part of the deal. The development adds a new complication to an already unpredictable future trade environment and could throw a further wrench into planned negotiations with existing trade partners. In other words: If the NAFTA talks align in timing with the TPP 11 talks, then the U.S. may be stuck in a multi-level trade discussion where gains made through NAFTA could ultimately become losses through TPP 11.
