[Ads-l] Word: protestware

[ADSGarson O'Toole]

Word in the news: protestware

Website: Technology Review
Article title: Activists are targeting Russians with open-source “protestware”
Article subtitle: At least one open-source software project has had
malicious code added which aimed to wipe computers located in Russia
and Belarus.
Author:  Patrick Howell O'Neill
Date: March 21, 2022

https://www.technologyreview.com/2022/03/21/1047489/activists-are-targeting-russians-with-open-source-protestware/

[Begin excerpt]
Russia's biggest bank has warned its users to stop updating software
due to the threat of “protestware”: open-source software projects
whose authors have altered their code in opposition to Moscow’s
invasion of Ukraine.

Most of the protestware simply displays anti-war, pro-Ukrainian
messages when it is run, but at least one project had malicious code
added which aimed to wipe computers located in Russia and Belarus,
prompting outrage and charges of unintentional collateral damage.
[End excerpt]

Garson

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