Large Zeus Botnet Used For Financial Fraud 68
An anonymous reader writes "A large Zeus version 2 botnet is being used to conduct financial fraud in the UK and is operated from Eastern Europe. The botnet appears to be controlling more than 100,000 infected computers. The criminals have been harvesting all manner of potentially lucrative and revenue-producing credentials — including online account IDs plus login information to banks, credit and debit card numbers, account types plus balances, bank statements, browser cookies, client side certificates, login information for email accounts and social networks, and even FTP passwords."
Oh no (Score:5, Funny)
login information to banks, credit and debit card numbers, account types plus balances, bank statements, browser cookies, client side certificates, login information for email accounts and social networks and even FTP passwords
I was not mad right up until that last one and even FTP passwords. They can have all that other crap but when they take my precious FTP password, and I use FTP for all my most critical-to-security interent functions, well...war on buddy.
Again ... (Score:4, Funny)
Version 2 Review -- Why upgrade? (Score:5, Funny)
Zeus version 2
So, like a good little early adopter, I upgraded and installed version 2 on my machine only to find that it was a huge bloated piece of crap. The original Zeus was so much more simple and elegant and now this thing is just chewing up cycles. Yeah, like the customer won't notice that. Seriously, all I wanted it to do was safely back up my bank statements to a remote server in case I lose them. And after the "Zeus Certified" debacle, I don't know who to believe when I ask "Will this computer run the simplest of viruses like Adobe PDF Reader?" Clearly Zeus is just a resource hog ... and looking forward at Version 3 (if it's even released on time) one wonder if they're even trying to build a quality botnet anymore. It's times like these that make you wonder if it's time to switch over to Mariposa ...
Re:That's awesome, but... (Score:3, Funny)
As a precaution I've changed all my passwords to "DROP TABLE Stolen Data"
Conficker design is second to none (Score:5, Funny)
Mariposa is just as bloated - if not more so.
not only that, its less secure because it doesnt have a "benevolent dictator" calling the shots design-wise.
im running Conficker and its been working like a charm. granted, its market share is not that great, and as long as you hold the mouse the right way, it "just works".
honestly, i think this will be the year of the Conficker. Mariposa and Zeus are just too behind the curve.
Re:Again ... (Score:5, Funny)
Well my machine is safe (Score:3, Funny)
I do all my banking at an internet cafe
Re:Version 2 Review -- Why upgrade? (Score:2, Funny)
Pardon me, I have to ask... (Score:3, Funny)
If you want Linux, Ubuntu, and the rest of the free OS's to stay superior and exploit-free, then why on earth would you ever want mainstream acceptance of said OS's? Wouldn't Linux et all going mainstream and replacing Windows/OSX mean that the botnets (and their owners) and scriptkiddies would then change their tactics to exploit whatever's currently dominant in market share?
If I were you, I'd be praying to the FSM for Windows/MS to stay dominant forever, just so that you could continue to use Linux without fear of someone writing script specifically to target YOUR OS's weaknesses. But that's just me
Re:Pardon me, I have to ask... (Score:1, Funny)
Wouldn't Linux et all going mainstream and replacing Windows/OSX mean that the botnets (and their owners) and scriptkiddies would then change their tactics
Yes, they would, but with two orders of magnitude less success. You see, windows is a crapware operating system built on the cheap, somewhat based on with DOS. Redmond's strong point is marketing, not quality. With closed source code you are guaranteed that security holes will be found perpetually, because not as many people can review the code.
On the other hand, Linux is based on UNIX, where even file system had built-in security system, while DOS was happily crashing the whole OS when your current app went down.
you could continue to use Linux without fear
A little beside the point, but being a nerd, i will move on to the next fledging technology when Linux (or another GNU OS) becomes dominant, and I don't doubt that it will happen.
Re:Which OS? (Score:3, Funny)
The vast majority of (at least US) drivers certainly act like they found a driver's license at the bottom of their Cocoa Puffs box.
Eastern Europe (Score:3, Funny)
Conficker Fanboy! (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Conficker Fanboy! (Score:3, Funny)
If anybody needs proof that Mariposa is the superior botnet just ask yourself this question: is anybody lining up for 12 hours in the rain to get trojaned by anything else?
Exactly