Double Agent | Malware replaces Antivirus | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

Researchers have created an exploit kit that can compromise and manipulate popular antivirus programs, turning them into malware.

Key Insights

• 👻 A vulnerability in Windows allows attackers to replace the verifier tool, thereby compromising antivirus programs.
• ↩️ Popular antivirus programs, such as AVG, Trend Micro, and Kaspersky, have been compromised and can be turned into ransomware or used for other malicious purposes.
• 👨‍💻 The researchers have released the exploit kit's source code on GitHub, potentially making it accessible to cybercriminals.
• 👨‍💻 The release of the source code puts pressure on antivirus companies to develop patches and fix the vulnerability promptly.
• 👊 Blindly trusting antivirus programs can make users more susceptible to attacks that exploit the trusted status of the software.
• 🍃 Many antivirus companies have not yet released patches to address the vulnerability, leaving their products vulnerable to this exploit.
• 🔪 The exploit kit's demo video showcases the damage it can inflict on antivirus programs, including replacing the UI with alarming messages.

Transcript

it's Armageddon time researchers have developed a zero day exploit kit which can completely destroy your antivirus program and even turn it into malware no this is not clickbait this actually happened the vulnerability I believe was published by cellum although it has been disputed by a Microsoft researcher who claims to have figured out something ... Read More

Questions & Answers

Q: How does the vulnerability in Windows allow attackers to compromise antivirus programs?

By replacing the verifier tool, attackers can modify the behavior of an application, including popular antivirus programs. This gives them high-level privileges on a user's system.

Q: Which antivirus programs are vulnerable to this exploit?

The vulnerability affects a range of major antivirus companies, including AVG, Kaspersky, Trend Micro, and more. A few notable companies, like G Data and MC Soft, are not on the list.

Q: What can the exploit kit do once an antivirus program is compromised?

Once an antivirus program is compromised, it can be turned into ransomware, encrypt or destroy files, and launch DDoS attacks. The attacker gains high-level privileges and can access anything on the infected system.

Q: Why did the researchers release the source code on GitHub?

The researchers have disclosed the vulnerability to antivirus companies, but few have released patches to fix the issue. The release of the source code puts more pressure on companies to address the vulnerability promptly.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• There is a 15-year-old vulnerability that allows attackers to replace the verifier tool in Windows, which can then be used to change the behavior of an application.

• Many popular antivirus programs, including AVG, Kaspersky, and Trend Micro, have been compromised and can be turned into ransomware, encrypt files, or launch DDoS attacks.

• The researches released the source code of the exploit kit on GitHub, potentially exposing it to cybercriminals.