Archive — US — techcrunch
Kaspersky suspects Chinese hackers planted a backdoor into Daemon Tools in‘widespread’ attack
Kaspersky has discovered a backdoor in Daemon Tools, a popular Windows software, linked to Chinese hackers. The attack, which affects thousands of computers in various sectors, is part of a larger trend in supply chain attacks, allowing malicious code to spread quickly. The ongoing threat remains active, with Kaspersky notifying Daemon Tools' maintainers for assessment and remediation measures.
Key points
- Kaspersky identified a backdoor in Daemon Tools, first detected on April 8.
- The backdoor has spread to thousands of Windows computers in sectors like retail, science, and government.
- The linked hackers are part of a Chinese-speaking group, indicating a targeted attack.
- Kaspersky's analysis confirms that the backdoor enables further malware installation on affected systems.
- The attack is part of rising supply chain attacks, affecting popular software and drawing parallels to other incidents like the Notepad++ breach.
Why it matters
- Supply chain attacks have become increasingly prevalent in recent years, highlighting vulnerabilities in widely-used software.
- In 2023, notable attacks have also targeted other software applications, indicating a growing trend in cyber threats.
- The cybersecurity landscape will continue to evolve as organizations adapt to these sophisticated attack methods by 2025.
The Daemon Tools backdoor incident underscores the critical need for enhanced cybersecurity measures, particularly in software development and supply chains, as threats from sophisticated adversaries like state-sponsored hackers increase.