Synolocker 0-Day Ransomware Puts NAS Files At Risk 150
Deathlizard (115856) writes "Have a Synology NAS? Is it accessible to the internet? If it is, You might want to take it offline for a while. Synolocker is a 0-day ransomware that once installed, will encrypt all of the NAS's files and hold them for ransom just like Cryptolocker does for windows PC's. The Virus is currently exploiting an unknown vulnerability to spread. Synology is investigating the issue."
Re:This is how we learn (Score:5, Informative)
When did 'server full of hard drives' turn into 'cloud storage?'
The useful thing about the cloud is that no-one knows what it actually is, so any company is free to call their product cloud-based without contest.
Re:Nuke it from orbit, then restore from backups. (Score:5, Informative)
My Synology NAS is my home-based business' file server, a local machine backup (for my development machine and my digital audio workstation), and a media server for my ripped DVDs and Blurays, although this third function is just a nice bonus for me. Synology NAS devices have a very handy cloud backup application as well, which I use to backup all my most critical files to Amazon S3 services. I hope most people made use of this, because if Cryptolocker has taught us anything, it's that you absolutely need offsite backups that are NOT connected to your network.
I bought it specifically because it makes it easy to set up a multi-tiered backup strategy like that - something that takes on new importance when you spend a few years writing code on your own dime. As a file server, it's fantastic for small operations. I had a drive begin to fail last year, and so had a chance to test out the hot-swapping / RAID rebuilding feature. Worked like a charm - was super simple and zero down-time.
Personally, I've never once considered opening up my NAS to the outside internet. That always seemed crazy risky to me - after all, a single software mistake, a buffer overrun in a protocol stack of some sort, and *poof*, there's direct access to your file server and all it's critical data. I guess sometimes being paranoid pays off, but it gives me no pleasure to say so.
Update from Synology-sec issue patched 12/2013 (Score:5, Informative)
Re:This is how we learn (Score:5, Informative)
It basically runs a dynamic DNS client that lets you connect to your NAS away from home, via a web site. For this to work it must accept connections through your firewall, which it uses UPnP to set up.