Cyber criminals use botnets to grab victim’s computer usage videos – Dell SecureWorks report

A startling revelation has been made by a Security Report published by Dell SecureWorks.  The report published by Dell SecureWorks Counter Threat Unit(TM) Threat Intelligence states that more and more cyber criminals are grabbing videos of how a particular victim uses their computer, to hack and steal from their online bank accounts.  The report published on 10th February 2014 gives details the activities of the top eight bank crime networks.  
Cyber criminals use botnets to grab victim's computer usage videos - Dell SecureWorks report


Out of the eight banks which Dell SecureWorks conducted the security research for security trojans etc., it found out that five out of the top eight bank botnets can constantly grab images to build movies of user activity.  The cyber criminals then use this movie to capture the victims bank details, log-in ids and passwords. The report also states that they are capable of manipulating this data to hide their own digital footprints when they steal the money from the victims bank accounts.

Explaining the Dell SecureWorks Security Report, Dr.Brett Stone-Gross, said that “We see continuous evolution of the code and continued sophistication”  Gross said that the most popular operandi by the cyber criminals was to  use of video capture to help them build up a portrait of the way a particular person used their computer and access their online accounts especially bank accounts.

The videos could also show thieves how to negotiate through the various steps required to move money around commercial banking networks that aid the biggest thefts, he said.

“They can measure where the mouse is and how long it takes to enter data that goes into the banks’ automated transfer systems,” he said.  He also added that, “Their longevity is a testament to how much money is involved and how lucrative they are,” 

Cheap storage and higher-bandwidth net links helped the thieves’ attempts to extract image streams, added Dr Stone-Gross.  He said that this method had been used by the cyber criminals to steal millions of dollars from user bank accounts in mostly unreported thefts.

Looks like the authorities have to looks at the online thefts from a whole new perspective now in view of this report.

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