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Kaspersky Lab uncovers cyberespionage rig, The Mask

PUNTA CANA, Dominican Republic, Feb. 11 (UPI) -- Russian security company Kaspersky Lab said it uncovered a cyberespionage network dubbed The Mask, which it says may be a state-run enterprise.

"The primary targets are government institutions, diplomatic offices and embassies, energy, oil and gas companies, research organizations and activists," the Internet security company said in a statement Monday. "Victims of this targeted attack have been found in 31 countries around the world, from the Middle East and Europe to Africa and the Americas."

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Kasperksy said it linked the network to a Spanish-language threat actor it said was involved in global cyberespionage campaigns since at least 2007. It said the network uses "an extremely sophisticated malware" to target its network victims.

Costin Raiu, director of global research at Kaspersky, said the attack looks like a state-sponsored campaign. The complexity of the attack, he said, "is not normal for cyber-criminal groups."

Cybersecurity has emerged as a national security issue.

Kaspersky in 2012 uncover the Flame virus that attacked Iranian computer networks.

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