Hackers Ramp Up Attacks Against Xbox One, PS4

[Andy Chalk]

Hackers Ramp Up Attacks Against Xbox One, PS4

Kaspersky Lab has detected a significant uptick in hacking attempts against the Xbox One and PlayStation 4.

The launch of a new generation of consoles has brought with it some unwelcome attention from hackers, who have unleashed a surge of attacks against both Sony's PlayStation 4 and Microsoft's Xbox One. Computer security company Kaspersky Lab estimates the systems are subjected to an average of about 34,000 attacks per day, and that roughly 4.6 million pieces of "gaming focused malware" are directed against them.

Spain is leading the way among European nations with 138,786 attacks this year, followed by Poland with 127,509 attacks and then Italy, with 75,080. The goal, rather than banking and credit card information, is usually to secure user names and passwords, for which there is a "thriving marketplace" online where they are bought and sold.

"We've just seen two of the biggest console launches ever, with the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox One," Kaspersky Lab Senior Security Researcher David Emm told Consumer Affairs. "That means there will be more gamers for criminals to target, especially as the Sony and Microsoft machines increasingly use the Internet for a fuller gaming experience."

Among the most "successful" pieces of malware released this year were a fake Minecraft tool that snatched user names and passwords and pirated copies of Grand Theft Auto 5 that turned out to be fakes containing malicious code. Emm warned that as game consoles become increasingly ubiquitous, both the sophistication and the volume of attacks against them will inevitably continue to increase.

Source: Consumer Affairs [http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news/hackers-like-playstation-4-and-xbox-one-too-121613.html]


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[Someone Depressing]

Thank god I live in the UK, where instead of hacking, they'll just break into your living room and take it while you're playing it!

'Kingdom, we love you.

 

[New Frontiersman]

Makes me glad I have a Wii U. Although I suppose it has it's hackers as well. I suppose as long as I don't download weird programs or pirated games for it I should be okay.

 

[Misterian]

Weirdest thing is, my only thought is how Microsoft is reacting to that whole thing.

They DID try to push for an always-online consoles when they first introduced Xbox One, after all.

 

[heroicbob]

i thought the grand theft auto 5 thing was a fake pc port how is that related to this?

 

[Yopaz]

i thought the grand theft auto 5 thing was a fake pc port how is that related to this?

How is malware related to other malware? Malware used to steal personal information is related to other malware that tries to steal personal information in both what it is and what it tries to accomplish.

 

[smithy_2045]

Company that sells anti-virus/malware/etc software talks up dangers of viruses/malware/etc to encourage people to purchase their software. This isn't news, this is advertising.

 

[nickpy]

When Kaspersky releases a new threat-assessment, always remember that they also sell the antidote (if it even works).
They have a vested interest in people feeling threatened by cyber-attacks and buying their products.

Not to be pedantic, but Kaspsersky doesn't actually sell Xbox One or PS4 Anti-Virus... They might well be drumming up business, and I agree that overall they have a vested interest, but in this case they do not "sell the antidote" nor, due to the locked-down nature of these consoles, can they do so even if they wanted to.

 

[Sniper Team 4]

Great. So in a few years I'll have to worry about installing anti-this and anti-that on my console now too? I play on consoles to avoid that crap. Ugh. Why are people so evil?

 

[McMullen]

When Kaspersky releases a new threat-assessment, always remember that they also sell the antidote (if it even works).
They have a vested interest in people feeling threatened by cyber-attacks and buying their products.

That may be true, but it's also perfectly reasonable that a cybersecurity company posts news about cybersecurity. In addition, their reports are consistent with people who do not directly benefit from the sale of anti-virus software, such as corporate or institutional IT departments.

It's also very likely that, since trust is an important and irreplaceable thing for these companies, and since their pronouncements are likely to be fact-checked by people who do not have a vested interest in AV software (lets remember that we are talking about professional nerds here), it would be incredibly stupid for such a company to take the risk of falsely reporting threats.

 

[Canadamus Prime]

Company that sells anti-virus/malware/etc software talks up dangers of viruses/malware/etc to encourage people to purchase their software. This isn't news, this is advertising.

Except last time I checked there isn't a version of Kaspersky available on the XBone or PS4.

 

[RJ 17]

I wonder if hackers actually wear ski masks while they're sitting at their computer hacking. :3

Other than that: just another reason I'm glad I don't own a new console yet.

 

[Antitonic]

I wonder if hackers actually wear ski masks while they're sitting at their computer hacking. :3

Other than that: just another reason I'm glad I don't own a new console yet.

He should really schedule an appointment with an optometrist, it looks like he has some problems reading the screen. Maybe the ski mask is in the way, but it looks unlikely. Poor hacker.

 

[Seracen]

When Kaspersky releases a new threat-assessment, always remember that they also sell the antidote (if it even works).
They have a vested interest in people feeling threatened by cyber-attacks and buying their products.

Not to be pedantic, but Kaspsersky doesn't actually sell Xbox One or PS4 Anti-Virus... They might well be drumming up business, and I agree that overall they have a vested interest, but in this case they do not "sell the antidote" nor, due to the locked-down nature of these consoles, can they do so even if they wanted to.

I think the idea is that, if enough interest is generated out of fear, Kaspersky could talk the game companies into cosigning on an AV App for the consoles. Another sub-based service for (relatively) little effort would be prime for monetization.

I say "relative" b/c they have already adapted their AV software for the tablet market, and I can't imagine it'd be that hard to do so for console.

 

[otakon17]

Weirdest thing is, my only thought is how Microsoft is reacting to that whole thing.

They DID try to push for an always-online consoles when they first introduced Xbox One, after all.

They're launching the attacks to force the always online factor! IT'S ALL A CONSPIRACY TO CONTROL EVERYTHING MAN!

OT: doesn't surprise me about this.

 

[Aiddon_v1legacy]

Except last time I checked there isn't a version of Kaspersky available on the XBone or PS4.

Though considering how 3rd parties keep demanding that consoles become computers I wouldn't be surprised if we require anti-virus programming down the line.

 

[smithy_2045]

Company that sells anti-virus/malware/etc software talks up dangers of viruses/malware/etc to encourage people to purchase their software. This isn't news, this is advertising.

Except last time I checked there isn't a version of Kaspersky available on the XBone or PS4.

There doesn't need to be an Xbox One or a P$4 version for it to be Kaspersky advertising disguised as news.

 

[Canadamus Prime]

Except last time I checked there isn't a version of Kaspersky available on the XBone or PS4.

Though considering how 3rd parties keep demanding that consoles become computers I wouldn't be surprised if we require anti-virus programming down the line.

What 3rd parties would those be? Also consoles have been glorified PCs for nearly a decade now.

 

[Something Amyss]

Except last time I checked there isn't a version of Kaspersky available on the XBone or PS4.

Do they sell a firewall program they could advertise to laypeople?