According to researchers with security firm Palo Alto Networks, a newly discovered variant of the Mirai botnet is about to be unleashed. This new variant contains a total of 27 exploits, 11 of which are new to Mirai. In an effort to reinstate Mirai’s place among the most dangerous botnets, the new exploits signal an attempt to infiltrate an area that’s relatively new to Mirai. One of the 11 new exploits targets the WePresent WiPG-1000 Wireless Presentation systems, and another exploit targets LG Supersign TVs. Both of these devices are intended for use by enterprises, which typically have networks that offer larger swaths of bandwidth for Mirai’s previous variant which mainly targeted consumers.
Mirai, the virulent Internet of Things malware that delivered record-setting denial-of-service attacks in 2016, has been updated to target a new crop of devices, including two found inside enterprise networks, where bandwidth is often plentiful, researchers said on Monday.
The malware infects webcams, routers, DVRs, and other Internet-connected devices, which typically ship with default credentials and run woefully outdated versions of Linux that are rarely, if ever, updated. The rapidly spreading Mirai first made a name for itself in 2016, when it helped achieve record-setting DDoS attacks against KrebsOnSecurity and French Web host OVH.
