Mozilla sends cease and desist to spyware maker

Discussion in 'malware problems & news' started by ronjor, May 1, 2013.

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  1. ronjor

    ronjor Global Moderator

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    http://www.h-online.com/security/ne...ease-and-desist-to-spyware-maker-1854088.html
     
  2. Daveski17

    Daveski17 Registered Member

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    Mozilla accuses Finfisher makers of 'hiding' under name

    The Mozilla Foundation has accused UK software group Gamma International of falsely associating one of its products with the Firefox name.

    Finfisher is a legitimate surveillance software thought to be used by governments to covertly obtain data.

    It is installed unknowingly by its target computer user, often by disguising itself as an update to a well known programme such as Firefox.


    BBC News technology
     
  3. siljaline

    siljaline Registered Member

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  4. siljaline

    siljaline Registered Member

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  5. Wild Hunter

    Wild Hunter Former Poster

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    They are totally right IMO, no sane company would want their brand associated with such activities.
     
  6. Noob

    Noob Registered Member

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    Yeah, they are in all their right. (Firefox)
     
  7. Mman79

    Mman79 Registered Member

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    I don't blame them one bit. It's kind of time there was a little more public exposure of these methods, though it won't stop them from further development in all honesty. The best we can hope for I think, in this case, is that the firms and organizations that develop these tools won't be able to use well respected vendors in their dirty work.
     
  8. caspian

    caspian Registered Member

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    Gamma International: Corporate Enemy of the Internet

    On 12 March 2013 Reporters Without Borders named Gamma International as one of five "Corporate Enemies of the Internet" and “digital era mercenaries” for selling products that have been or are being used by governments to violate human rights and freedom of information. FinFisher technology was used in Bahrain and Reporters Without Borders, together with Privacy International, the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR), the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights, and Bahrain Watch filed an Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) complaint, asking the National Contact Point in the United Kingdom to further investigate Gamma’s possible involvement in Bahrain. Research has shown that FinFisher technology was used in Australia, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Britain, Brunei, Canada, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Ethiopia, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Latvia, Malaysia, Mexico, Mongolia, Netherlands, Qatar, Serbia, Singapore, Turkmenistan, the United Arab Emirates, the United States and Vietnam.[2][3][17][18]

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FinFisher
     
  9. Palancar

    Palancar Registered Member

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    Is there any reliable way to know whether or not your machine has picked up this code?

    While my Comodo is updated does the newer AV database file cover this "bug"? Its been awhile now so you would think the AV folks would add a detection of it.
     
  10. siljaline

    siljaline Registered Member

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    Method of infection:
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FinFisher#Method_of_infection
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FinFisher#Firefox_Masquerading
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FinFisher#Use_by_repressive_regimes
     
  11. CloneRanger

    CloneRanger Registered Member

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    I did a FinFisher TEST on September 14th, 2012 ;) & discovered one of it's files named as Firefox.exe https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=332263&highlight=finfisher

    Finfisher :p

    From what i've seen/heard, most AV's etc should & do detect/prevent etc it.

    Better if you have an AntiEXE though, as this will prevent it installing, along with Every other .EXE you don't allow :)
     
  12. SweX

    SweX Registered Member

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    FWIW, there's a picture in this blog post by F-Secure, showing Gamma in their "booth" and at the top one can read "FinFisher"
    http://www.f-secure.com/weblog/archives/00002279.html
     
  13. Noob

    Noob Registered Member

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    Or a HIPS. :D
     
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