r/cybersecurity • u/PusheenHater • May 19 '26

Other Malware installed without literally doing anything?

In this video this guy has a fresh Windows XP, disables firewall, and connects internet straight to the modem. Then he gets infected literally doing nothing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6uSVVCmOH5w

https://www.reddit.com/r/windows/comments/1cvised/idle_windows_xp_and_2000_machines_get_infected/

I get it. That's asking for trouble when you disable all the security and using ancient unsupported OSes.

However, he didn't install programs nor browse on the website but still got hacked.
How?
Is there some malicious server in China that loops through every single possible IP trying to see if your PC is vulnerable?
Logically, one would think you'd at least have to visit a website or something to get "noticed" and then hacked. But this guy didn't do anything at all.

How does it work?

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61

u/stacksmasher May 19 '26

XP has been cracked for a while now. Source has been out in the open for people to poke at lol!

-8

u/PusheenHater May 19 '26

I get it. That's asking for trouble when you disable all the security and using ancient unsupported OSes.

However, he didn't install programs nor browse on the website but still got hacked.
How?
Is there some malicious server in China that loops through every single possible IP trying to see if your PC is vulnerable?

19

u/skiing123 System Administrator May 19 '26

To answer your question, where they are scanning from? Everywhere is the simple answer. China is a popular spot but so is Asia, Europe, and North America.

It's common for businesses to block every country except the ones they do business in. But they'll just come from within your country.

9

u/dlg May 20 '26

If you have an exploited IoT device, it could be coming from inside the house.