banking trojan Archives

Latin America Banks Targeted by BBTok Malware Variant

anti malware, antivirus software, banking malware, banking trojan, BBTok Malware, firewall, Ophtek, Phishing Emailanti-malware, antivirus, banking malware, BBTok, firewall, malware, Ophtek, phishingOphtek, LLC

Nov 2023

Back in 2020, a new banking trojan by the name of BBTok emerged into the digital landscape and was responsible for numerous attacks. And now it’s back.

Banks in Brazil and Mexico appear to be the main targets of BBTok’s new campaign, and it’s a variant which is far more powerful than any of its previous incarnations. Its main deceptive threat is that it is able to spoof the interfaces of 40 different banks in Brazil and Mexico. This means that it’s perfectly placed to harvest sensitive data. In particular, this new strain of BBTok is deceiving victims into disclosing their credit card details and authentication codes. This gives the campaign a financial angle and highlights the serious threat it poses.

How Does BBTok Launch Its Attacks?

BBTok’s latest strategy begins with a phishing email, one that contains a malicious link which kickstarts the attack by launching the malware alongside a dummy document. BBTok is particularly successful as it has been coded to deal with multiple versions of Windows, and it also tailors the content of the attack to both the victim’s country and operating system. BBTok also allows the threat actors behind it to execute remote commands and steal data without the victim being aware.

Most notably, however, is the way in which BBTok replicates the interface of numerous banking websites – such as Citibank and HSBC – to truly deceive the victim. Appearing to be genuine at first glance, these interfaces are used to trick victims into entering security codes and passwords associated with their accounts. This gives the threat actors full access to their financial data and, more disturbingly, full control over their finances. This means that unauthorized payments and bank transfers can quickly land the victim in severe financial trouble.

How to Stay Safe from Banking Malware

In an increasingly digital world, where we all make numerous financial transactions online every week, it’s important to remain guarded against banking malware. As well as the financial damage that malware such as BBTok can cause, it can also create a foothold for threat actors to delve deep into your networks. And this represents a major threat to the security of both your data and your customer’s data. Accordingly, you need to stay safe, and here are some crucial tips to help you:

Beware of phishing emails: your employees should always be cautious when opening emails or clicking on links from unknown sources. As with BBTok, many banking trojans spread through phishing emails which trick you in to visiting fake banking websites. This provides threat actors with the perfect opportunity to harvest your credentials. Therefore, make sure that your employees know how to quickly identify a phishing email and what to do with them.
Install a firewall: putting a firewall in front of your network is a vital step in strengthening your digital defenses. Firewalls act as keen-eyed gatekeepers who scrutinize incoming and outgoing traffic, this allows them to determine whether traffic is trusted and whether any alarms need to be raised. Banking trojans, of course, often transmit stolen data out of your network, so a firewall is the perfect way to identify and prevent this activity.
Strong endpoint security: to protect your network against malware, it’s essential that you employ robust cybersecurity measures throughout your business. In particular, employee workstations and mobile devices are most at risk, so installing advanced antivirus and anti-malware software here should be a priority.

For more ways to secure and optimize your business technology, contact your local IT professionals.

IcedID Malware Evolves to Become More Dangerous Than Ever

banking trojan, email attachments, IcedID, malicious payloads, malware, Ophtekbanking trojan, email attachments, IcedID, malicious payloads, malware, OphtekOphtek, LLC

Oct 2023

The only thing worse than a powerful piece of malware, is a powerful piece of malware which has evolved into something more dangerous, just like IcedID.

IcedID first emerged onto the digital landscape in 2017, when it was classed as a banking trojan and started targeting financial institutions in the US, Canada, and UK. IcedID’s main objective, in 2017, was to steal sensitive data such as credit card details. However, the very best threat actors are those that regularly update and repurpose their malware to evade detection and become more effective. And that’s exactly what they have done with IcedID, turning it from a banking trojan into something much more complex.

What is IcedID’s New Strategy?

IcedID has evolved, but what exactly has it evolved in to? Well, the objective of retrieving sensitive financial details appears to have been removed. However, IcedID is now concentrating its efforts on delivering further malicious payloads to compromised systems. Essentially, it’s opening your IT systems up to a whole new world of pain.

Using the BackConnect module, IcedID communicates with a command-and-control server which allows the transfer of commands and files to the infected system. Originally, this attack was easy to detect as IcedID used TCP port 8080 to transfer data and communications. However, the threat actors behind this new wave of attacks, quickly changed their approach and began to compromise TCP port 443, which is much harder for security software to detect as it usually only handles encrypted data.

At least 20 command-and-control servers have been detected since April 2023, indicating that the threat actors behind IcedID are keen to not only disguise their tracks, but also keep security experts guessing. IcedID appears to compromise its victims by carrying out a sustained campaign of data harvesting and using them as a connection point in spamming campaigns, which are used to spread IcedID even further.

Staying Safe from IcedID

The exact point at which this current IcedID campaign infects a host is currently unknown, but earlier variants of IcedID from 2023 used malicious email attachments. Therefore, it’s important for all your PC users to remain vigilant against the threat of infected emails arriving in their inbox. In particular, make sure they look out for the following:

Check email address and domain: always make sure that the sender’s email is genuine, without misspellings or unusual domain extensions that resemble well-known entities e.g. G00glemail. And when it comes to unfamiliar addresses, especially those that claim to be official sources, scrutinize them closely.
Content and language: pay attention to language inconsistencies and an urgent tone, especially one which urges you to take immediate action. Unexpected attachments and links, particularly from unknown senders, should always be checked by an IT professional as the risk of malware in these instances is high.
Requests for personal information: it’s vital that you treat requests for sensitive data, such as passwords or financial details, with suspicion. Legitimate organizations typically won’t ask for this information via email. Verify such requests directly through secure channels such as face-to-face or via telephone before responding.

For more ways to secure and optimize your business technology, contact your local IT professionals.

Category Archives: banking trojan