US software group Microsoft has withdrawn the business base of a Viennese company specializing in the development and sale of spy software. In an extensive blog post, Microsoft describes the approach of the Austrian developers, whose eavesdropping tool Subzero was mainly used in the financial world.
Microsoft recently had to answer questions from the US Senate about commercial spyware and cyber surveillance, for example by companies or governments. At the same time, the US software giant published a blog in which the Microsoft Threat Intelligence Center explains how it tracked down a developer of such tools in Austria and took away its business base.
Unknown Windows vulnerabilities exploited
Microsoft’s blog post describes in technical detail how the provider DSIRF – Microsoft codename: “Knotweed” – from Vienna worked. He exploited previously unknown vulnerabilities in Microsoft and Adobe software – so-called zero-day vulnerabilities. Through these gateways, which even the manufacturer did not know, DSIRF customers cheered their targets on the Subzero spy software.
Microsoft’s investigations in detail:
The spyware is said to have been mainly used in the financial world for corporate espionage. The targets were law firms, banks and management consultants in Austria, Great Britain and Panama. Meanwhile, Subzero no longer poses a threat: Microsoft reports in the blog post that the exploited vulnerabilities have been closed.
The company would have contacts in the Marsalek environment
DSIRF is located in the third district of Vienna. According to research by netzpolitik.org, the company should have good contacts in Russia and in the vicinity of fugitive Wirecard manager Jan Marsalek. Microsoft has announced that it will continue to monitor the company’s activities.
The company’s website states that it offers clients “20 years of experience in providing tailor-made research and security solutions” and works “with absolute discretion on sensitive projects for global customers and market-leading companies”.
Hacking Cyber Mercenaries for Business
Microsoft, on the other hand, classifies the Viennese as cyber mercenaries who sell hacking tools and services to companies for a lot of money. In the blog post, the Americans state that the DSIRF services are probably not limited to selling the spyware, but that the company also helps with the actual attacks. Some spyware attacks showed that the infrastructure attributed to the Austrian company was used.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
