ZeuS Banking Trojan Now In Rootkit Form

The ZeuS banking Trojan has been around for a while now, but it’s popularity among cyber criminals is still high. It’s now being offered for sale to cybercriminals in rootkit form at very low prices.

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Citadel Trojan Now Able To Seek Specific Targets

According to a report by ThreatPost.com, the Citadel Trojan, an Internet computer based malware which has been around for a while now, is changing its spots, so to speak. See Citadel Trojan: The Next Generation of the Zeus Trojan for background information.

There is evidence that the Citadel Trojan has been used to target and steal from specific targets such as specific cities, certain countries, even specific demographic populations such as high-income groups.

Banking Malware: Some Protection

This blog has written many times about banking malware such as the Zeus Trojan. Banking malware occupies your computer, usually from a malicious Internet site, but also from equally malicious emails. We have told of the sale of banking malware on the cyber criminal black market that is fueling the immense growth of its use.

Evidently, this situation has caused the Internet security software companies to realize they can make some money protecting us from it. Enter Kaspersky Internet Security Safe Money, “a new offering designed to protect user’s money when shopping and banking online.”

Zeus Trojan…With A Twist

The Zeus banking malware has been recently spotted with a new twist…ransomware. Ransomware, sometimes called scareware, is a malicious program that infects a computer and then locks it preventing the user access to their computer or their data unless a ransom is paid. Zeus is a trojan malware that is injected onto a computer, usually by a victim visiting an Internet website designed to do so, and then steals your online banking credentials and account information and proceeds to transfer your funds from your bank to one owned by a criminal organization.

Internet Security: Zeus Banking Botnet Dealt Blow

Some good news for a change! Microsoft has announced they have attacked and eliminated prominent Zeus Trojan Malware control centers, thus crippling the malware responsible for stealing tens of millions of dollars US in recent years. Zeus is a trojan malware that is injected onto a computer, usually by a victim visiting a website designed to do so, and then steals your online banking credentials and account information and proceeds to transfer your funds from your bank to one owned by a criminal organization.

Update: Cell Phones And Phishing Attacks: Do You Use Your Phone Safely?

In an article posted in this blog last month, Cell Phones And Phishing Attacks: Do You Use Your Phone Safely?, we discussed the potential for cybercriminals to exploit smartphones. Well…I hate to report it, but the criminal element has sniffed out these mobile devices as targets on several fronts, including a variant of the trojan malware ZeuS. Zeus is the malware that specializes in obtaining banking account information and stealing funds from those accounts.

Being able to transact banking and purchases through smartphones is extremely convenient to those who own them. It’s also very attractive to cyber crooks who are looking for new ways to increase their “income”.

In The News: Beware—Fake Tax Payment Rejection Notice

It’s not unusual for cybercriminals to use a current event-themed spam campaign; and in this case they’re taking advantage of the many Americans filing their taxes. An email pretending to be from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service will inject the ZeuS Trojan malware onto your computer. ZeuS is famous for finding banking and credit card information on your computer and stealing your funds; and it does it very quickly and silently.

This email contains the following “warning”: