Microsoft catches spyware group using Windows bugs to target consumers

Microsoft has caught an Austrian company selling spyware based on multiple Windows and Adobe zero-day exploits to attack its customers.
The Microsoft Threat Intelligence Center (MSTIC) and the Microsoft Security Response Center (MSRC) found that the spyware developer—officially named DSIRF and codenamed KNOTWEED—developed a spyware called ‘Subzero’ that was used to target law firms, banks, and consultancy firms in the UK, Austria, and Panama.
“It’s important to note that the identification of targets in a country doesn’t necessarily mean that a DSIRF customer resides in the same country, as international targeting is common,” the company said in a blog post.
MSTIC has found multiple links between DSIRF and the exploits and malware used in these attacks.