World's Most Complex Virus Exposed; Rescue In Progress


Bangalore: The world’s “largest” cyber attack has been uncovered with the discovery of the most complex computer virus ever- ‘Flame,’ which is set to destroy the mass data of businesses, universities and governments.

According to the security researchers report, the ‘data-vacuuming’ virus has already infected a handful of computers around the world and is mainly targeted at a number of Middle Eastern countries including Iran and Israel. Kaspersky’s report states Flame as “most complex threat,” much bigger than its counterparts. The virus can sniff network traffic and has the ability to take screenshots, record conversations by microphones that are plugged in or embedded to the PC, and key logs input data and so on.

Compared to the 500 KB payload of its counterpart Stuxnet virus, which attacked Iranian nuclear systems in 2010, Flame is a massive 20 MB in size. Researchers were not yet able to identify how it gets into network. The malware, which mostly affects Windows System is unique that it has the ability to steal so much data in so many different ways, allowing a complete overview in “eyes and ears” of anything and everyone in the vicinity of the infected machine.

The National Computer Emergency Response Team of Iran has ordered an emergency review of official computer installations. Iran and Israel are the most infected, along with Sudan and Syria, revealed Kaspersky’s Alexander Gostev. “The size and sophistication of the virus likely makes it to be a Government backed project,” he added.

Gostev explained in Kaspersky’s blog: “Currently there are three known classes of players who develop malware and spyware: hacktivists, cybercriminals and nation states. Flame is not designed to steal money from bank accounts. It is also different from rather simple hack tools and malware used by the hacktivists.”

“By excluding cybercriminals and hacktivists, we come to conclusion that it most likely belongs to the third group. In addition, the geography of the targets (certain states are in the Middle East) and also the complexity of the threat leaves no doubt about it being a nation state that sponsored the research that went into it.”

Iran was attacked with Stuxnet virus in 2010 followed by Duqu in 2011 which infiltrate networks and stole the government and corporate data. The Flame is said to be 20 times more powerful than the previous ones.