Malware inserted on PC production lines, says study

[Jack]

Cybercriminals have opened a new front in their battle to infect computers with malware - PC production lines.

Several new computers have been found carrying malware installed in the factory, suggests a Microsoft study.

One virus called Nitol found by Microsoft steals personal details to help criminals plunder online bank accounts.

Microsoft won permission from a US court to tackle the network of hijacked PCs made from Nitol-infected computers.

Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-19585433

 

[pcjunklist]

Cybercriminals have opened a new front in their battle to infect computers with malware - PC production lines.

Several new computers have been found carrying malware installed in the factory, suggests a Microsoft study.

One virus called Nitol found by Microsoft steals personal details to help criminals plunder online bank accounts.

Microsoft won permission from a US court to tackle the network of hijacked PCs made from Nitol-infected computers.

Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-19585433

Well that's kind of scary, not surprised though. Just a matter of time before phones come loaded with virus's that steal all your information and not just simply track it like in the past.

 

[InternetChicken]

yes been reading about this today,
theses crooks are good Infected pc right out of the box , nice,
this is a good warning counterfeit software is never good all to save a $
and is another good reason to only buy from respect venders.

 

[MrXidus]

When purchasing brand new PC's in my household, I've always formatted that OEM crapware infested default installation (filled with alot of un-needed useless software that slows down the PC installed by the OEM such as... McAfee for example) and installed a fresh un-touched .iso of Windows 7.

From there I modify services and customize which software I want, Not what Acer, Dell, Samsung etc tell me I want.

Thanks.

 

[Gnosis]

This is exactly what none of us plan for. Stealthy software and firmware rootkits would be all but impossible to detect on a PC right out of the box--unless they are putting malware written by a 5 year old Chinese malware author in them.

When purchasing brand new PC's in my household, I've always formatted that OEM crapware infested default installation

I like that. That is using your head.

Bios, graphic card, dvd player, and battery based rootkits from the factory are a whole 'nother ballgame. Sony caught a lot of bad PR for placing a clandestine rootkit on their product. It was supposed to perform "legit" functions.......whatever "legit" means in the Sony dictionary.

BBC News Wrote:Cybercriminals have opened a new front in their battle to infect computers with malware - PC production lines.

Several new computers have been found carrying malware installed in the factory, suggests a Microsoft study.

One virus called Nitol found by Microsoft steals personal details to help criminals plunder online bank accounts.

Microsoft won permission from a US court to tackle the network of hijacked PCs made from Nitol-infected computers.

Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-19585433

I need to be a member of the X-rated version of MalwareTips to truly express my feelings toward cyber punks like this and the corrupt, as well as the ignorant, jokers that facilitate the shysters.

The viruses were discovered when Microsoft digital crime investigators bought 20 PCs, 10 desktops and 10 laptops from different cities in China.

Four of the computers were infected with malicious programs even though they were fresh from the factory.

CHINA.......China, China, China, China, China. I feel for the many good people that are suffering there and others that mean well, but I despise that we import ANY of their products; and now we have become so dependent on them (like light sweet crude) that there is no going back.