Malware has never been as much of a problem for Linux as it is for Windows. But BlackEnergy is a potent malware threat that has compromised Linux systems as well as Windows computers. Recently the threat posed by BlackEnergy has grown as more information has been gathered about this insidious malware.

Here’s a roundup of news stories about BlackEnergy. Note that we’ve also changed the format of our roundups to make it easier and faster to see the stories that interest you.

Ars Technica’s Dan Goodin notes BlackEnergy’s new functions

According to a report published Monday by security firm Kaspersky Labs, the breadth of BlackEnergy goes even further. A host of extensions customized for both Windows and Linux systems contain commands for carrying out DoS attacks, stealing passwords, scanning ports, logging IP sources, covertly taking screenshots, gaining persistent access to command and control channels, and destroying hard drives. Researchers Kurt Baumgartner and Maria Garnaeva also acquired a version that works on ARM- and MIPS-based systems and uncovered evidence BlackEnergy has infected networking devices manufactured by Cisco Systems.

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