Linux distributor security list destroyed after hacker compromise !
Mar 08, 2011
Hackers have compromised a private e-mail list used by Linux and BSD distributors to share information on embargoed security vulnerabilities and used a backdoor to sniff e-mail traffic, according to the moderator of the list. In a note to " Vendor-Sec " members, moderator Marcus Meissner said he noticed the break-in on January 20 but warned that it might have existed for much longer. I have disabled the specific backdoor, but as I am not sure how the break-in happened it might reappear. So I recommend not mailing embargoed issues to vendor-sec@….de at this time. Immediately after Meissner's warning e-mail, the attacker re-entered the compromised machine and destroyed the installation. The "Vendor-Sec" list is used by distributors of free/open-source OS and software to discuss potential distribution element (kernel, libraries, applications) security vulnerabilities, as well as to co-ordinate the release of security updates by members. This means that a compromise and the captu...