Cybercriminals Trick: Targeted Trojan-Containing Emails

Threats we ordinary Web users face online leave us no choice but learn. Haven't you noticed how many new things you learned lately? We are much better informed about malicious programs than just a year ago.

This section of our vocabularies grows rapidly: now we all know what a "keylogger" is,"worm" for us has something to do not only with zoology, nor a "Trojan Horse" with Ancient Greek literature. We are getting better at avoiding such scams as phishing, and this word doesn't look like a spelling mistake anymore.

We Web users are getting smarter -- at least the numbers from the recent survey by the Pew Internet and American Life Project say so. The study shows that 91% of respondents (adult Web users from the USA) have improved their online behavior in one way or another.

81% of respondents have become more cautious about e-mail attachments.

People are also avoiding certain Web sites (48%), using file-sharing networks less often (25%), and even switching browsers (18%).

But, alas? As Web users get wiser, cybercriminals become more insidious and commit more sophisticated crimes.

More people are now aware of a worm, virus or Trojan which might be hidden in a spam email attachment -- for cybercriminals it means that spam becomes less "effective" means of spreading malware.

Why they are spreading malware? What motivates them? Money, of course.

All security experts are at one in thinking that " cybercriminals are primarily motivated by financial gain". In other words, they prefer cash to fun. Instead of doing mischief just for the h? of it, they steal money. Big money.

Along with other unlawful activities, cybercriminals are actively hunting for valuable data that can be turned into cash. Stealing information needs contaminating as many PCs as possible with malicious programs. Most PC users now are aware of (or we even can say, almost got used to) the fact that Trojan horses can be included into e-mail messages, multimedia files or free knick-knackery like postcards, smileys and screensavers. We users know that many viruses, worms, and Trojan horses contain information-stealing (keylogging) modules.

Spreading malware as wide as possible that's what cyberthieves do in order to reach their treacherous goal. At least it was their main approach -- until recently, when crooks began to more intensively exploit a new tactic.

Targeting at Individual Addressees

On July 8, 2005 CERT (the US Computer Emergency Readiness Team), issued an alert warning about the rise of Trojan attacks of a new kind. Signs of these stealthy Trojan attacks, which were targeting specific firms to evade detection, have been detected for the last year. Targeted Trojan-horse attacks are a new trend in online threats, states the alert.

Trojan attacks by themselves aren't new, but CERT said this technique has two features that make it very dangerous, especially for businesses.

First, conventional anti-virus software and firewalls can't beat Trojans of this kind. These programs are "tailor-made". Source code of known Trojans, if altered, is unfamiliar to anti-viruses, and they can't detect it.

Any new variation of known malicious program is a new program for anti-viruses. There is a long way from detection of a piece of malware to the moment when an anti-virus or anti-spyware vendor is able to offer protection against it. This cycle takes time -- from several hours to a couple of days. When such a program is detected, its signature (piece of code) should be picked and included into an update. Only after all anti-virus or anti-spyware programs on all users' PCs are updated it is possible to protect them against this particular piece of malware. Poor consolation for those unlucky ones who were hit by a new kind of malware FIRST.

These e-mails contain dangerous malware-laden attachments, or links to web sites hosting Trojan horses. When such an attachment is opened or a link is clicked, a malicious program installs the Trojan onto the users' machines. These Trojans can be configured to transmit information via ports used for a common service, like TCP port 80, which is assigned to Web traffic. That's why firewalls are helpless against them.

Second, this time the e-mails are TARGETED -- sent to specific recipients. Their subject lines often have something to do with the user's work or interests.

What the criminal can do when the attachment is opened? He can: (Quote from the alert issued by US-CERT)

• Collect usernames and passwords for email accounts
• Collect critical system information and scan network drives
• Use the infected machine to compromise other machines and networks
• Download further programs (e.g., worms, more advanced Trojans)
• Upload documents and data to a remote computer

CERT made recommendations for system administrators on how to prevent this kind of Trojan horse attacks. You can get the complete list from: http://www.us-cert.gov/cas/techalerts/TA05-189A.html

As for us ordinary Web users -- to lessen the risk of these attacks we all should:

• use an anti-virus scanner on all e-mail attachments
• update operating system and application software to patch vulnerabilities these Trojans exploited
• set the default options in e-mail clients to view opened e-mails as plain text, i.e. turn off the "Preview Pane" functionality.

  And, of course, be more cautious about everything which appears in our inboxes.

  Alexandra Gamanenko currently works at Raytown Corporation, LLC -- an independent software developing company. This company provides software capable of disabling even "tailor-made" information-stealing modules, which can be hidden inside spyware as well as viruses, worms and Trojans.

  Learn more -- visit the company's website http://www.anti-keyloggers.com

  In The News:

  ---

  
  

Remove Rogue Desktop Icons Created By Spyware

If you have used a Windows machine for a while,... Read More

The Move to a New Anti-Virus Model

This is the second in a series of articles highlighting... Read More

Protecting Your Children On The Internet

If you are a parent, as am I, I think... Read More

Backup and Save your business!

There you are busily typing away on your PC or... Read More

Is Shopping Online For Your Horse Gifts Safe?

Shopping for horse gifts or other gift items on the... Read More

Network Security 101

As more people are logging onto the Internet everyday, Network... Read More

Phishing - A High Tech Identity Theft With A Low Tech Solution

Have you ever got an email asking you to confirm... Read More

DOS Attacks: Instigation and Mitigation

During the release of a new software product specialized to... Read More

Passwords or Pass Phrase? Protecting your Intellectual Property

Much has been said on the theory of password protection... Read More

Computer Viruses - How to Remove a Computer Virus from Your Computer

Computer viruses infect millions of computers every day. Viruses can... Read More

Reclaim Your PC from the Internet Spies

Viruses are, however, not the only malicious software programs out... Read More

Types Of Computer Infections

Computer infections can be broken up into 4 main categories... Read More

Detect Spyware Online

You can detect spyware online using free spyware cleaners and... Read More

Hacked: Who Else Is Using Your Computer?

A friend called me one day and asked if I... Read More

How To Be Your Own Secret Service Agency

So you want to know who your kids are chatting... Read More

What Can Be Done About Spyware And Adware

Having a good Spyware eliminator on your computer is vital... Read More

File Sharing - What You Need to Know!

File sharing on p2p is soaring despite the music and... Read More

Web and Computer Security

Well, if that would have been said to me by... Read More

Why Corporations Need to Worry About Phishing

Phishing is a relatively new form of online fraud that... Read More

Technology and Techniques Used in Industrial Espionage

Industrial Espionage. These methodologies are being used on a daily... Read More

A Painless Plagiarism Solution

A crowded marketplace can lead to unethical webmasters using underhand... Read More

Protect Your Little Black Book

The movie Little Black Book features a young woman, Stacy,... Read More

Internet Identity Theft - How You Can Shield Yourself

With the advent of the World Wide Web, a whole... Read More

The Truth About Hiding Your Tracks on the Internet

Ok, ok, I know you've seen them. All those pop... Read More

Computer Viruses, Worms, and Hoaxes

In recent days, I was one of the unfortunate persons... Read More

Phishing: A Scary Way of Life

The Federal Bureau of Investigation has identified "phishing" as the... Read More

Desktop Security Software Risks - Part 1

This is the second in a series of articles highlighting... Read More

8 Surefire Ways to Spot an E-Mail Identity Theft Scam!

The E-Mail Identity Theft Scam is running Rampant. These E-Mail... Read More

3 Pervasive Phishing Scams

Scams involving email continue to plague consumers across America, indeed... Read More

Spyware Protection Software

Spyware protection software is the easiest way of removing spyware... Read More

Spyware Removal

Spyware SolutionProbably Today's Biggest Computer Problem. You Suffer Without Knowing... Read More

Is Your Music Player Spying On You?

In today's times spyware is a very serious issue and... Read More

Hacking Threats and Protective Security

The 1998 Data Protection Act was not an extension to,... Read More