Source: https://cobaltstrike.net/2022/03/15/china-got-the-nsa-spy-tool-of-the-usa/
China managed to get hold of a US National Security Agency spy tool capable of accessing sensitive information on a victim’s computer, monitoring and redirecting network traffic, and remotely monitoring a system to spy on objects abroad. The spyware was detected on Internet equipment used around the world, the Global Times reports.
According to the publication, NOPEN is a remote control tool designed for Unix/Linux, which is suitable for various processor architectures and operating systems. After infecting the computer, it does not manifest itself in any way and imperceptibly “opens the door” to hackers. The Trojan can also turn the victim’s computer into a kind of bridge tower, allowing attackers to penetrate deeper into the organization in which the victim works and steal information.
NOPEN can remotely control most of the existing servers and terminals manually embedded by hackers, and execute a long list of commands, including stealing and destroying data. The NSA used it to control a large number of Internet devices around the world and steal confidential user data.
According to internal NSA documents previously published by the cybercrime group Shadow Brokers, NOPEN is one of the powerful tools for stealing data from the arsenal of the NSA hacking unit known as Tailored Access Operations (TAO).