Linux Malware Warning
The FBI and National Security Agency announced that Russian military intelligence built malware to target Linux systems. Russian hackers have been using malware for Linux systems, called Drovorub, in cyber-espionage operations. The malware allows hackers to steal files and take over devices.
Drovorub is not the first malware to target Linux. It's not even the first Russian malware to target Linux devices. Last year, Microsoft warned about malware that was targeting Internet of Things (IoT) devices, and in 2018 the VPN Filter malware, also likely the work of Russian state-backed hackers, targeted routers. Linux uses not only have to worry about state backed hackers, there's password-stealing malware and ransomware gangs that are are targeting Linux too.
Malware isn't only a Windows problem. The reality is that any computer system that has a decent market share or plays host to valuable data are targets. Linux is the foundation of many different business systems and the cloud. While there are still relatively few threats targeting Linux, there's no reason why that should remain the case. Linux may be stronger because of it's open-source nature but malware can target relatively older version of the Linux kernel since many don't update as frequently as in the Windows world. Drovorub is a reminder that hackers are willing to target any and all systems if they think there is a profit, some other advantage.
Another dangerous assumption that many organizations make is that they are too small or too well protected to become a victim. The latest show that all systems and all devices can be targeted, even the ones we least expect. Innovations like the IoT and the cloud simply broaden the threats organizations will have to secure. Complacency is our biggest threat.