I got a chuckle out of this news item, too, but that article--particularly the title--is crap. Mikko's original blog post is much more informative. There's really two issues. There's a report of some other worm, and the Iranian believes Metasploit is at use. Metasploit is not a virus; it's an exploitation framework. Download it here if you're curious.Originally Posted by AdamG
HD Moore, Metasploit's creator, tweeted two responses to articles like this one:
He also added a bit on how you use the framework to load MP3s:"definitely a confused individual, Metasploit isn't a worm and doesn't ship with AC/DC's Thunderstruck" (source)
If the e-mail to Mikko is truthful and accurate, this strikes me as the act of an amateur--not a state, much less the U.S. Moreover, the fact that there is no effort to be covert makes me think this is a grand middle finger to US and other intelligence agencies. It is as if the perpetrator is saying, "You developed developed malware and cryptographic attacks over the course of years to penetrate computers relevant to the Iranian nuclear program; I did it downloading an app freely available to anyone." They probably even used a commonly available exploit, too. I can't see someone burning a 0-day to blast "Thunderstruck" to some Iranian engineers just for, as the kids say, "the lulz.""you can do it today (msf> load sounds) & copy mp3" (source)
If I had to ‘profile’ the perpetrator, I would suggest a lone male with a grudge or grievance with one or more US intelligence agencies (perhaps a past applicant). If there is a political motive, I would suggest someone affiliated with Anonymous or other like-minded group who might think disrupting Iranian networks would mean disrupting any ongoing US intelligence operation. Either way, the objective in my view is disrupting or discrediting US efforts rather than Iran's nuclear program. That’s pure speculation, but that is the impression I get.
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