Hidden back door embedded in Chinese tax software, firm says

Intelligent Tax worked as advertised, but it also installed a hidden back door that could give hackers remote command and control of the company’s network. — KRiemer/Pixabay

When a UK-based technology vendor started doing business in China, it hired a cybersecurity firm to proactively hunt for any digital threats that could arise as part of doing business in the country. The firm discovered a problem, one with such major implications that it alerted the FBI.

A state-owned bank in China had required the tech company to download software called Intelligent Tax to facilitate the filing of local taxes. The tax software worked as advertised, but it also installed a hidden back door that could give hackers remote command and control of the company’s network, according to a report published June 25 by the SpiderLabs team at Chicago-based Trustwave Holdings Inc. (The cybersecurity firm declined to identify the bank).