technology THURSDAY, AUGUST 10, 2017 From zero-day exploits to rampant ransomware DUBAI: The second quarter of 2017 saw sophisti- The allegedly nation-state backed WannaCry and related malware families were identified. The Black Energy. “We have long maintained the impor- cated threat actors unleash a wealth of new and ExPetr destructive epidemics, whose victims includ- WannaCry attack on 12 May and the ExPetr attack tance of truly global threat intelligence to aid enhanced malicious tools, including three zero-day ed many companies and organization across the on 27 June. While very different in nature and tar- defenders of sensitive and critical networks. We exploits and two unprecedented attacks: WannaCry globe, became the first but most likely not the last gets, both were surprisingly ineffective as ‘ran- continue to witness the development of overzeal- and ExPetr. Expert analysis of the last two suggests example of the new, dangerous trend. somware’. For example, in the case ofWannaCry, ous attackers with no regard for the health of the the code may have escaped into the wild before it itsrapid global spread and high profileput a spot- Internet and those in vital institutions and business- was fully ready, anunusual situation forwell- Highlights in Q2, 2017 include: light on the attackers’ Bitcoin ransom account and es who rely on it on a daily basis. As cyberespi- resourced attackers. These and other trends are cov- Three Windows zero-day exploits being used in- made it hard for them to cash out. This suggests onage, sabotage, and crime run rampant, it’s all the ered in Kaspersky Lab’s latest quarterly threat intelli- the-wild by the Russian-speaking Sofacy and Turla that the real aim of the WannaCry attack was data more important for defenders to band together and gence summary. threat actors. Sofacy, also known as APT28 or destruction.Kaspersky Lab’s experts discovered fur- share cutting-edge knowledge to better defends The months from April to end June witnessed- FancyBear, deployed the exploits against a range of ther ties between the Lazarus group and against all threats,” said Juan Andres Guerrero- significant developments in targeted attacks by, European targets, including governmental and WannaCry. The pattern of destructive malware dis- Saade, Senior Security Researcher, Global Research among others, Russian-, English-, Korean-, and political organizations. The threat actor was also guised as ransomware showed itself again in the and Analysis Team, Kaspersky Lab. Chinese-speaking threat actors. These develop- observed trying out some experimental tools, most ExPetr attack. The Q2 APT Trends report summarizes the find- ments havefar-reaching implications for business notably against a French political party member in ExPetr, targeting organizations in the Ukraine, ings of Kaspersky Lab’s subscriber-only threat intel- IT security: sophisticated malicious activity is hap- advance of the French national elections. Russia and elsewhere in Europe also appeared to be ligence reports. During the second quarter of 2017, pening continuously almost everywhere in the Gray Lambert - Kaspersky Lab has analyzedthe- ransomware but turned out to be purely destruc- Kaspersky Lab’s Global Research and Analysis Tam world, increasing the risk of companies and non- most advanced toolkit to date for the Lamberts tive. The motive behind the ExPetr attacks remains a created 23 private reports for subscribers, with commercial organizationsbecoming collateral group, a highly sophisticated and complex, mystery. Kaspersky Lab’s experts have established a Indicators of Compromise (IOC) data and YARA rules damage in cyber warfare. English-speaking cyberespionage family. Two new low confidence link to the threat actor known as to assist in forensics and malware-hunting. Disney to launch streaming services for movies, live sports NEW YORK: With new streaming services in the Kingdom’s own app. That will include “Toy Story the US as well, taking advantage of Disney’s works, Disney is trying to set itself up for a future 4” and the sequel to the huge hit “Frozen.” Older global name recognition. that’s largely been framed by Netflix: Providing movies will be there too, as well as shows from the stuff you want to watch, when you want to the TV channels Disney Channel, Disney Junior Sports watch it. The Magic Kingdom is launching its and Disney XD, and original TV and films. That Disney had already said it would be launch- own streaming service for its central Disney and could be hugely attractive for families with ing a streaming ESPN service. It’s not meant to Pixar brands and another for live sports. That young children in the US. compete with the company’s TV channels. The would allow it to bypass the cable companies it Disney is ending an exclusive earlier movie sports service is coming in early 2018, a little lat- relies on - and Netflix - to charge consumers deal with Netflix, and the streaming giant’s er than previously announced, and will air base- directly for access to its popular movies and shares tumbled in after-hours trading. Netflix ball, hockey and soccer games, tennis matches sporting events. today has grown into an entertainment jugger- and college sports through ESPN’s popular “They’re bringing the future forward. What naut in its own right, however, as it focuses more mobile app. Notably, ESPN will not be streaming they talked about were things that looked on its own exclusive programming. Netflix pro football or basketball, at least initially. inevitable, at some point,” said Pivotal Research already seemed to be bracing for the potential Customers will also be able to buy fuller stream- Group analyst Brian Weiser. What’s less clear is if loss of the Disney movie rights earlier this week ing packages from the baseball, hockey and soc- Disney will be able to make big bucks from it, he when it announced its first-ever acquisition - the cer leagues, and watch them on the ESPN app. said. This is important as the decline in cable purchase of Millarworld , a comic book publish- “Ultimately, we envision this will become a dynamic sports marketplace that will grow and Japan gives world-beating be increasingly customizable, allowing sports fans to pick and choose content that reflects their personal interests,” Iger said on a confer- fidget spinner a whirl ence call with analysts. Disney will have to be FUJISAWA: One company in perfection- to the test inside AFP’s Tokyo bureau, the careful that it doesn’t transfer too much sports ism-obsessed Japan is claiming it has company’s wheel-shaped Saturn Spinner programming from its TV channels to the app. developed a fidget spinner that whirls whirled for 13 minutes and 35 seconds- Getting the balance wrong could upset cable longer than any rival on the market — 12 although it took a few tries. companies and weigh on the price they pay minutes and counting. Most fidget spin- The secret is all in the design, Ishii says. Disney for ESPN, Weiser said. ners, the must-have toy for 2017, can only The gadget, built at a pristine factory near rotate on their own for a few minutes at Tokyo, has a heavy brass frame and a light The back end most. But a subsidiary of precision machin- aluminum ball bearing to increase centrifu- To roll out its streaming services, The Walt ery maker NSK set its sights on utilizing the gal force. But they don’t come cheap at Disney Co. will take majority control of BAMTech, company’s ball bearings, used in space 17,280 yen ($157) apiece, making them the a streaming arm of Major League Baseball spun satellites and computer disks, to make the preserve of only the most eager and cash- off last year from Baseball Advanced Media, for Rolls Royce of fidget spinners. rich fidgeters. $1.58 billion. When the deal closes, Disney will The gadget-billed as a stress reliever but Most spinners cost around $12 or less. own 75 percent of BAM Tech, up from the 33 banned in some schools as a distraction- Ishii hopes the pricey gadget will stimulate percent stake it acquired for $1 billion as part of has a ball bearing in the centre and is interest in the often overlooked world of an agreement announced last year. The acquisi- designed to effortlessly spin with the flick ball bearings.”Hundreds of bearings are tion and the new services will be “an entirely of a finger. “We’re confident that ours is the found in products all around us, but most new growth strategy” for Disney, Iger said. longest spinner around,” said Toshikazu people don’t see them or pay much atten- The new streaming services will likely “accel- Ishii, president of NSK Micro Precision. Put tion to them,” he said.—AFP erate the erosion” of Disney’s TV networks, espe- cially if other major cable networks make similar moves, said Moody’s analyst Neil Begley. But Iger argues that BAMTech gives Disney “optionality” if NEW YORK: In this photo, The Walt Disney Co. logo appears on a screen above the floor of the the cable ecosystem changes further, Iger said New York Stock Exchange.—AP on a conference call with analysts Tuesday. If households and the shift to smaller, cheaper ing company that will develop films and kids there’s greater “erosion” - say, if more people bundles pressures the profitability of Disney’s shows based on its portfolio of character. drop cable bundles or choose cheaper bundles cable networks. Fewer subscribers and fewer Disney might bring more of its properties - without key Disney channels - the company has viewers mean less money. In the nine months particularly its Marvel superheroes and the Star more ways to get its entertainment directly to through July 1, cable networks’ operating Wars franchise - under its wing, and could even customers, Iger said.