The malware redirects victims to perfect replicas of online banking websites Credit: IDGNS A hybrid Trojan program created for financial fraud has started redirecting users of four large U.S. banks to rogue websites in order to hijack their accounts. GozNym is a relatively new threat, first discovered in April, and is based on the Nymaim malware dropper and the Gozi banking Trojan. Like most banking Trojans, GozNym can inject rogue code into banking websites displayed in local browsers in order to steal credentials and other sensitive information. However, in addition to this old technique, the cybercrime gang behind it has also built the necessary infrastructure to host rogue copies of banking websites, and they’ve started to redirect victims there. GozNym used this redirection method two months ago against users of several banking websites from Poland. However, according to researchers from IBM’s X-Force team, its authors have recently launched similar attacks against the online business banking services of four large U.S. banks. First, the Trojan redirects the victim to the fake version of the site hosted on the attackers’ infrastructure, and it then temporarily displays a white overlay over the page. This unusual masking trick might be intended to distract the users and to make them believe that the page is harmless. The fake sites are perfect replicas of the real ones. The malware uses some technical tricks locally to keep the bank’s real URL in the address bar and even the SSL certificate. Once users input their credentials into the fake website, the credentials are tested in real-time against the bank’s genuine website. If they work, the attackers initiate fraudulent money transfers out of the victim’s account. “Moreover, the victim is kept on the fake website, where the attacker can push social engineering notifications to them, making them divulge personally identifiable information and two-factor authentication elements,” the IBM X-Force researchers said in a blog post. Despite being new, GozNym is quickly gaining ground in the cybercrime arena, currently ranking fifth for banking Trojan activity in 2016. The IBM researchers expect that after this testing period, its creators will add more U.S. banking websites to the rogue redirection list. The researchers didn’t name the original banks targeted. In addition to the usual security recommendations of keeping software up to date, running an antivirus program, and being wary of email attachments, employees in charge of finances inside companies should try to use dedicated computers to access bank accounts and operate financial transactions. These computers shouldn’t be used for other tasks like general browsing and email. Related content analysis At RSA, Cisco unveils Splunk integrations, Hypershield upgrades At RSA Conference 2024, Cisco announced plans to integrate its XDR platform and Splunk’s SIEM, bolster its Hypershield AI-native security architecture, and add to its Duo access-protection software. By Michael Cooney May 06, 2024 5 mins Network Management Software Network Security Networking how-to Download our Zero Trust network access (ZTNA) enterprise buyer’s guide From the editors of Network World, this enterprise buyer’s guide helps network and security IT staff understand what ZTNA can do for their organizations and how to choose the right solution. By Josh Fruhlinger and Steve Zurier May 06, 2024 1 min Network Security Enterprise Buyer’s Guides news Network jobs watch: Hiring, skills and certification trends What IT leaders need to know about expanding responsibilities, new titles and hot skills for network professionals and I&O teams. By Denise Dubie May 06, 2024 6 mins Careers Data Center Networking feature IBM’s bets on AI and hybrid cloud pay off Three key differentiators of IBM’s AI and cloud offerings are cross-platform automation, integration with multiple clouds, and tie-ins to IBM professional services. By Jeff Vance May 06, 2024 9 mins Hybrid Cloud Network Management Software Cloud Computing PODCASTS VIDEOS RESOURCES EVENTS NEWSLETTERS Newsletter Promo Module Test Description for newsletter promo module. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe