Elevate your local knowledge

Sign up for the iNFOnews newsletter today!

Select Region

Selecting your primary region ensures you get the stories that matter to you first.

Researchers: ASUS computers infected by auto-update virus

Researchers: ASUS computers infected by auto-update virus | iNFOnews.ca
This Feb 23, 2019, photo shows the inside of a computer with the ASUS logo in Jersey City, N.J. Security researchers say hackers infected tens of thousands of computers from the Taiwanese vendor ASUS with malicious software for months last year through the company’s online automatic update service. Kaspersky Labs said Monday, March 25, that the exploit likely affected more than 1 million computers from the world’s No. 5 computer company, though it was designed to surgically install a backdoor in a much smaller number of PCs. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane)

BOSTON – Security researchers say that hackers infected tens of thousands of computers from the Taiwanese vendor ASUS with malicious software last year through the company’s online automatic update service.

Kaspersky Lab, a Russian cybersecurity firm, said Monday that it detected 57,000 infections among its customers. It estimated that the hack may have affected more than 1 million computers from the world’s No. 5 computer company.

The malware was designed to open a “backdoor” for intruders in the infected machines.

Kaspersky said most of the infected computers detected were in Russia, Germany and France, followed by Italy and the United States.

The attack was first reported by the online news site Motherboard. ASUS did not immediately respond to emailed requests seeking comment.

News from © iNFOnews.ca, . All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Join the Conversation!

Want to share your thoughts, add context, or connect with others in your community?

Create a free account

iNFOTEL

Related Articles