Close
  • Latest News
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
Read Down
Sign in
Close
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Read Down
Password recovery
Recover your password
Close
Search
Menu
Search
  • Latest News
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
More
    Home Cybersecurity
    • Cybersecurity
    • IT Management
    • Networking
    • Storage

    Fired Engineer at Fannie Mae Accused of Planting Malware Time Bomb

    By
    Brian Prince
    -
    January 29, 2009
    Share
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Linkedin

      A fired Unix engineer stands accused of planting a malware time bomb at the mortgage firm Fannie Mae that had the potential to destroy countless computer files, federal officials said.

      Rajendrasinh Makwana, 35, of Frederick, Md., was indicted on Jan. 27 for the attempted malware attack. Makwana was an employee for a firm called OmniTech, and worked at Fannie Mae’s facility in Urbana, Md., as a contract employee. After being terminated on Oct. 24, federal officials say Makwana retaliated by hiding malicious code on a Fannie Mae server and setting it to go active Jan. 31.

      Five days later, another Unix engineer discovered the malicious script embedded within a pre-existing, legitimate script. According to a federal affidavit, the legitimate script runs every morning at 9 a.m. and validates that there are two storage area network paths running correctly and operationally through all Fannie Mae servers. The malicious script was at the bottom of the legitimate script and was separated by roughly one page of blank lines in an apparent attempt to hide the malicious script within a legitimate script.

      Federal officials said Makwana was terminated because on or about Oct. 10 or Oct. 11 he created a computer script that changed the setting on the Unix servers without getting the nod of his supervisor. That script was not malicious.

      “Despite Makwana’s termination, [his] computer access was not immediately terminated,” FBI agent Jessica A. Nye stated in the affidavit.

      Nye goes on to explain that access to Fannie Mae’s computers for contractors’ employees was controlled by the company’s procurement department, which did not terminate Makwana’s computer access until late in the evening Oct. 24.

      According to the affidavit, Fannie Mae’s nationwide internal computer network includes about 4,000 computer servers. Had the malicious script executed, the script would have propagated itself out to all 4,000 servers, thereby damaging all of Fannie Mae’s data. Nye estimated the damage would have cost millions and possibly shutdown operations at Fannie Mae for at least a week.

      Sophos Senior Technology Consultant Graham Cluley noted in a blog post that the case underscores the damage disgruntled employees can potentially do to a network.

      “Obviously this case is ongoing, and charges have not been proven against Makwana,” Cluley wrote. “But imagine what the impact could have been if an attack like this were not intercepted and had successfully struck a financial institution.”

      *This story was updated with additional information.

      Brian Prince

      MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

      Android

      Samsung Galaxy XCover Pro: Durability for Tough...

      Chris Preimesberger - December 5, 2020 0
      Have you ever dropped your phone, winced and felt the pain as it hit the sidewalk? Either the screen splintered like a windshield being...
      Read more
      Cloud

      Why Data Security Will Face Even Harsher...

      Chris Preimesberger - December 1, 2020 0
      Who would know more about details of the hacking process than an actual former career hacker? And who wants to understand all they can...
      Read more
      Cybersecurity

      How Veritas Is Shining a Light Into...

      eWEEK EDITORS - September 25, 2020 0
      Protecting data has always been one of the most important tasks in all of IT, yet as more companies become data companies at the...
      Read more
      Big Data and Analytics

      How NVIDIA A100 Station Brings Data Center...

      Zeus Kerravala - November 18, 2020 0
      There’s little debate that graphics processor unit manufacturer NVIDIA is the de facto standard when it comes to providing silicon to power machine learning...
      Read more
      Apple

      Why iPhone 12 Pro Makes Sense for...

      Wayne Rash - November 26, 2020 0
      If you’ve been watching the Apple commercials for the past three weeks, you already know what the company thinks will happen if you buy...
      Read more

      eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site’s focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

      Facebook
      Linkedin
      RSS
      Twitter
      Youtube

      Advertisers

      Advertise with TechnologyAdvice on eWeek and our other IT-focused platforms.

      Advertise with Us

      Menu

      • About eWeek
      • Subscribe to our Newsletter
      • Latest News

      Our Brands

      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms
      • About
      • Contact
      • Advertise
      • Sitemap
      • California – Do Not Sell My Information

      Property of TechnologyAdvice.
      © 2021 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

      Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.

      ×