New Malware Used for Surveillance in 10 Countries, Symantec Says

An unidentified nation may have developed a “highly complex” surveillance tool that targeted companies and other victims in at least 10 countries including Russia and Mexico, Symantec Corp. researchers said.

The tool, a malware dubbed “Regin,” has been used in intelligence gathering since at least 2008, according to a report today from Symantec, the biggest maker of security software. While almost half of the infections affected individuals and small companies, the malware also targeted the telecommunications and hospitality industries, Symantec said. Governments and research institutes were also among the victims.