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"Red October" virus reaches Iran, local experts neutralize the threat
[January 21, 2013]

"Red October" virus reaches Iran, local experts neutralize the threat


Jan 21, 2013 (Trend News Agency - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- A computer virus by the name of "Red October" has been discovered in Iran, according to country's Communications and Technology Ministry, ILNA reported.



Iran's deputy communications and technology minister Ali Hakim-Javadi confirmed the information, adding that Iranian experts were able to fight the infection, and prevent local agencies and organizations from being compromised.

"The way we understand it, the virus tried to penetrate local computer networks, and diplomatic centers to acquire sensitive, classified information," Hakim-Javadi said.


About a week ago, Kaspersky Lab said that the primary focus of the campaign was targeting countries in eastern Europe, "former USSR Republics and countries in Central Asia.

Kaspersky Lab said "there is strong technical evidence to indicate the attackers have Russian-speaking origins." Kaspersky said Red October also infected smartphones and collected login information to test on other systems.

Red October, which is named after the Russian submarine featured in the Tom Clancy novel The Hunt For Red October, has what Kaspersky Lab called a unique "resurrection" module that hid in Adobe Reader and Microsoft Office programmes that allowed the attackers to regain access if the virus was discovered and removed.

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