NSA posed as Facebook to infect computers with malware

The National Security Agency has reportedly used automated systems to infect user computers with malware since 2010, according to a Wednesday report. That automated system named "TURBINE," was designed to allow the current implant network to scale to large size (millions of implants) by creating a system that does automated control implants by groups instead of individually.

In some cases the NSA has masqueraded as a fake Facebook server, using the social media site as a launching pad to infect a target's computer and exfiltrate files from a hard drive. In others, it has sent out spam emails laced with the malware, which can be tailored to covertly record audio from a computer's microphone and take snapshots with its webcam. The hacking systems have also enabled the NSA to launch cyberattacks by corrupting and disrupting file downloads or denying access to websites.

"Such a large scale attack infrastructure is very offensive (in both ways)," said Eiram Carsten, the chief research officer at security intelligence and risk management firm Risk Based Security. "Even with so-called 'data selectors' they could easily end up compromising random victims. Also, while they may now say that they are only aiming to target specific people considered threats, the potential for a snowball effect is worrying. How long will it take before they start broadening the scope?"

Other documents reportedly indicate that the NSA has shared many of its implants with surveillance agencies in the U.K., Canada, New Zealand and Australia, which together with the NSA form the so-called Five Eyes partnership.

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