Cyber-Crooks Piggyback on Ebola Epidemic for Disseminating Malware, Says Symantec
Symantec, the security company, referring to Ebola, the dangerous new virus which has caused an epidemic in the western countries of Africa and which is regarded to be a health emergency globally ever since over 1,000 people, who contacted the viral infection, died within Liberia, Guinea, Nigeria and Sierra Leone so far in 2014, warns that cyber-criminals are currently leveraging the outbreak to launch fresh assaults.
It maybe noted that Ebola, a not long existing though lethal virus, results in the body's bleeding both outside and inside, while also impairs organs and immune system. In addition, it causes hemorrhagic fever that's severe as well as mostly fatal within humans.
Presently, according to Symantec, its researchers have noticed 3 separate malware campaigns based on social engineering around the Ebola topic.
As per the first one, attackers distribute one electronic mail having certain false report about Ebola for luring users into becoming contaminated with Trojan.Zbot a well-known banker malware.
The Zbot works on Microsoft Windows OS, all versions, with the aim to seize data entered on online forms like banking details, usernames and passwords and so on.
The second cyber-attack involves an e-mail which masquerades as one prominent provider of telecommunications services as the message seemingly offers one unique Ebola virus presentation. A zipped file is attached entitled 'EBOLA - PRESENTATION.pdf.zip' while in reality it runs Trojan.Blueso on any PC the malware infects.
Apparently, the payload doesn't end with Blueso. The Trojan further inserts W32.Spyrat inside the browser open on the target computer, state Symantec's researchers. Softpedia.com published this, August 18, 2014.
The Spyrat performs several tasks such as intercepting keystrokes, taking screenshots, recording scenes inside webcam, turning on different web-pages, and erasing data stored on hard disk while cataloging folders and files. Besides these, it receives and transmits information to its command-and-control system, amongst others.
Finally, with Ebola vaccines and drug therapies being experimented without any getting invented as an original remedy, cyber-attackers are abusing Zmapp, an Ebola drug with potentially promising results in their third campaign. This third e-mail asserts that Ebola can be treated while suggests users towards sending out the news extensively.
» SPAMfighter News - 8/25/2014
