James Brody
January 29th, 2009, 01:39 PM
from the Kyiv Post:
"Cyber criminals infect abroad, but not at home
"Eastern Europe continues to enhance its reputation as a haven for cyber crime groups who destroy computers worldwide with worms, malware and other viruses. But apparently the evil geniuses don't foul their own nests. Brian Krebs, who writes the Security Fix blog for the Washington Post, wrote on Jan. 26 that "some of the most prolific and recognizable malware disbursed by Russian and East European cyber crime groups purposefully avoids infecting computers if the program detects the potential victim is a native resident…According to an analysis by Microsoft engineers, the original version of the Downadup (a.k.a. "Conficker") worm will quit the installation process if the malware detects the host system is configured with a Ukrainian keyboard layout."
"Krebs concludes: 'All of this strongly supports the notions that not only are some of the most active malware writers are living in Eastern Europe, but they've also found it easier to fly under the radar of local law enforcement by not fleecing their own people.'"
More at http://www.kyivpost.com/nation/34404
"Cyber criminals infect abroad, but not at home
"Eastern Europe continues to enhance its reputation as a haven for cyber crime groups who destroy computers worldwide with worms, malware and other viruses. But apparently the evil geniuses don't foul their own nests. Brian Krebs, who writes the Security Fix blog for the Washington Post, wrote on Jan. 26 that "some of the most prolific and recognizable malware disbursed by Russian and East European cyber crime groups purposefully avoids infecting computers if the program detects the potential victim is a native resident…According to an analysis by Microsoft engineers, the original version of the Downadup (a.k.a. "Conficker") worm will quit the installation process if the malware detects the host system is configured with a Ukrainian keyboard layout."
"Krebs concludes: 'All of this strongly supports the notions that not only are some of the most active malware writers are living in Eastern Europe, but they've also found it easier to fly under the radar of local law enforcement by not fleecing their own people.'"
More at http://www.kyivpost.com/nation/34404