Malware researchers have detected that The Shadow Brokers, the group that released the “WannaCry Exploits”, have made a statement recently that more zero-day bugs are about to be released along with classified information. The hackers have not specified what exactly the date of the leak is going to be, but they have promised that the date will be somewhere around June 2017.
The Shadow Brokers Launching Monthly Subscription
The hacking group behind the ETERNALBLUE and DOUBLEPULSARE were also responsible for multiple other exploits leaked in the wild:
EASYBEE, EASYPI, EWOKFRENZY, EXPLODINGCAN ,ETERNALROMANCE ,EDUCATEDSCHOLAR EMERALDTHREAD, EMPHASISMINE, ENGLISHMANSDENTIST, ERRATICGOPHER, ETERNALSYNERGY, ETERNALCHAMPION, ESKIMOROLL, ESTEEMAUDIT, ECLIPSEDWING ,EXPANDINGPULLEY, GROK, FUZZBUNCH, PASSFREELY, ODDJOB, JEEPFLEA,_MARKET,
And what is more, they were the group that leaked the SMB exploit which enabled WannaCry ransomware virus to make headlines due to the recent ransomware outbreak it caused.
And the situation is about to become even more dire, as they promise not only to release exploits for OS’s such as Windows 10 but also to release other critical information that is about to endanger millions of devices and facilities worldwide:
- Web browser exploits.
- Zero-day bugs in routers.
- Exploits for smartphone devices.
- Exploits for other operating systems, beside W10.
- Leaked data from Banking institutions.
- Network information on nuclear missile programs.
At this point, these claims by The Shadow Brokers have no way to be verified, but when we take into consideration the previous data leak, it is an operational theory that they are likely to release more of the same. In addition to this, The Shadow Brokers did not only leak exploits, but they were also involved with other illegal activities such as:
- Putting cyber-weapons obtained illegally from the NSA Equation Group on an online auction which failed.
- Selling cyber-weapons from the same failed auction on underground websites varying from hundreds to tens of thousands of dollars.
When the group did not manage to sell the exploits, they were leaked and now it’s latest strategy is “monthly subscription”. This time, they might succeed, given in consideration that WannaCry ransomware which used one of those exploits (SMB), infected over 200 thousand computers in less than two days.
The mysterious hacking group continues to despise the government and tech companies by making statements that their systems are not properly secured for a reason and what is more, Microsoft did not do enough concerning the exploits. However they had the chance to do it for months.
The hacking group even aimed at Google Project Zero team, claiming that they have a former member of The Equation hacking group.
Should We Expect Another Ransomware Outbreak?
Whatever the case may be and if the accusations are true or not, it does not matter. What matters, however, is that another ransomware outbreak may become a fact as soon as new exploits are leaked. However, this may not be in the upcoming days or even weeks, because it takes some preparation to set up such a massive operation without being detected. But in any case, we strongly urge you to learn how to protect your data from ransomware infections and to understand how ransomware works.
Ventsislav Krastev
Ventsislav is a cybersecurity expert at SensorsTechForum since 2015. He has been researching, covering, helping victims with the latest malware infections plus testing and reviewing software and the newest tech developments. Having graduated Marketing as well, Ventsislav also has passion for learning new shifts and innovations in cybersecurity that become game changers. After studying Value Chain Management, Network Administration and Computer Administration of System Applications, he found his true calling within the cybersecrurity industry and is a strong believer in the education of every user towards online safety and security.
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