Trend Micro Observe that Keyloggers Being Used More by Cybercriminals

Security firm Trend Micro recently released a research paper that throws light on keyloggers, deceitful but still efficient tools which cybercriminals are increasingly employing these days.

Ryan Flores, Senior Threat Researcher of Trend Micro said that bulks of these tools are "simple, off-the-shell" offerings which are used to undertake email fraud in corporations on a massive scale.

The rising price of these threat landscapes can differ but in the grey markets, low cost malware is available to guarantee that cybercriminals gain ample benefit.

Security researchers, experts and analysts know that these malicious codes can cause huge losses when in wrong hands, and thus help scammers make huge profits.

Researchers of Trend Micro reveal that these RAT/keyloggers are available for 40 USD or less and they discovered a surprising reality about keyloggers dubbed 'Limitless' and 'Predator Pain' after a short period of time.

These keyloggers are low-priced but they hold the same capabilities that they discovered in other data-stealing malware.

Commercial Crime Bureau of Hong Kong Police Force estimated that they (referring to Limitless and Predator Pain keyloggers) are commanded by cybercriminals targeting small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) in Hong Kong netted them $75 million during first half of this year alone and this is alarming as compared to the economic impact of malware like Zeus Botnet.

HELP NET SECURITY PUBLISHED A REPORT ON 12TH November, 2014 quoting Flores as saying "Consider: this means that cybercriminals in a single city equaled all losses from Zbot up to the present within six-months."

Flores added "They arbitrarily steal client's mail credentials and web credentials to capture keystrokes and screen captures. The output is readable which is good if you are managing only few infected machines but the design doesn't scale well when there are more infected logs and systems involved."

The attackers have selected to invest more time and effort instead of opting for more pricy, automated malware and they have succeeded also.

Researchers noted that attackers, after gaining access to infected computers and credentials in these, sit on a gold mine of information which they can use for various criminal and fraudulent activities.

» SPAMfighter News - 11/21/2014