Mahdi is computer

malware Malware (a portmanteau for ''malicious software'') is any software intentionally designed to cause disruption to a computer, server, client, or computer network, leak private information, gain unauthorized access to information or systems, depri ...

that was initially discovered in February 2012 and was reported in July of that year. According to

Kaspersky Lab Kaspersky Lab (; Russian: Лаборатория Касперского, tr. ''Laboratoriya Kasperskogo'') is a Russian multinational cybersecurity and anti-virus provider headquartered in Moscow, Russia, and operated by a holding company in th ...

and

Seculert Seculert is a cloud-based cyber security technology company based in Israel. The company's technology is designed to detect breaches and Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs), attacking networks. Seculert's business is based on malware research and ...

(an Israeli security firm which discovered the malware), the software has been used for targeted cyber espionage since December 2011, infecting at least 800 computers in Iran and other

Middle East The Middle East ( ar, الشرق الأوسط, ISO 233: ) is a geopolitical region commonly encompassing Arabian Peninsula, Arabia (including the Arabian Peninsula and Bahrain), Anatolia, Asia Minor (Asian part of Turkey except Hatay Pro ...

ern countries. Mahdi is named after files used in the malware and refers to the Muslim figure.Mahdi, the Messiah, Found Infecting Systems in Iran, Israel
July 17, 2012 Wired, Kim Zetter

References

{{Hacking in the 2010s Windows trojans 2012 in computing Cyberwarfare Cyberwarfare in Iran

See also

References