Cybersecurity researchers have found out about a new kind of sneaky computer bug, called a remote access trojan and information stealer, that some people from Iran who work for their government are using to spy on computers and do bad stuff. It's like a super shady spy tool.
This bug, which is named WezRat by the cool folks at Check Point, has been spotted in the wild since at least September 1, 2023. That's like finding out your favorite game has a cheat code, but for hackers. They saw some clues about it on this site called VirusTotal.
WezRat can totally control your computer from far away. It can make it do things like take pictures of your screen, record everything you type, and even swipe the stuff you copied, like your password or that funny meme you copied from your friend's chat. And it does all this without making you suspicious, because it has some clever tricks like hiding parts of itself in files that look like they're just for the bosses at the hacker's headquarters.
This nasty piece of work is probably made by a group from Iran called Cotton Sandstorm. They're like the James Bond villains of the internet, also known as Emennet Pasargad and Aria Sepehr Ayandehsazan (ASA).
The U.S. and Israeli cyber defenders talked about this bug last month. They said it's like a tool for hackers to learn all about your computer and then take control of it from afar.
This cyber trick starts with a fake email that looks like it's from the Israeli National Cyber Directorate (INCD). It says you need to install a super important update for Chrome right now. But it's actually a trap! When you install it, you're letting the hackers into your computer.
The way it works is it sends secret info to a control center (C&C server) and waits for orders. If you don't give it the right password when you start it, it might just mess up or stop working.
The people who made this are pretty smart and have been adding new features to it, like the ability to take screenshots and record your keyboard taps. It's like they're always working on a new cheat for their cyber spy game.
This Iranian hacker group, Emennet Pasargad, has been causing trouble all over the place, like the U.S., Europe, and the Middle East. They're after anyone who can mess with Iran's stories, whether it's political or just some random influencer. It's like they're trying to control the internet narrative or something.
So, basically, it's super important to stay safe online because these cyber baddies are always coming up with new ways to sneak into our computers and cause a ruckus. And remember, never click on weird emails, even if they say it's about updating Chrome!