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Ref ;- Hackers steal $300 million from 100 banks via malware - The Times of India
some excerpts are :-
But when a Russian cybersecurity firm, Kaspersky Lab, was called to Ukraine to investigate, it discovered that the errant machine was the least of the bank's problems. The bank's internal computers, used by employees who process daily transfers and conduct bookkeeping, had been penetrated by malware that allowed cybercriminals to record their every move. The malicious software lurked for months, sending back video feeds and images that told a criminal group - including Russians, Chinese and Europeans -- how the bank conducted its daily routines, according to investigators.
Then the group impersonated bank officers, not only turning on various cash machines, but also transferring millions of dollars from banks in Russia, Japan, Switzerland, the US and the Netherlands into dummy accounts set up in other countries.
In a report, to be published on Monday, and provided in advance to The New York Times, Kaspersky Lab says that the scope of this attack on more than 100 banks and other financial institutions in 30 nations could make it one of the largest bank thefts ever - and one conducted without the usual signs of robbery.
The Moscow-based firm says that because of non-disclosure agreements with banks that were hit, it cannot name them. Officials at the White House and FBI have been briefed on the findings, but say that it will take time to confirm and assess the losses.
Kaspersky Lab says it has seen evidence of $300 million in theft through clients, and believes the total could be triple that. But that projection is impossible to verify as the thefts were limited to $10 million a transaction, though some banks were hit several times. In many cases the hauls were more modest, presumably to avoid setting off alarms.
The majority of the targets were in Russia, but many were in Japan, the US and Europe
end of quote.
The banks involved in the losses are not disclosing due to law, but some clients of
anti-virus company Kaspersky were willing to disclose some details
would appreciate the forum to discuss what are the possible actions to avoid such events
and also appreciate a discussion on the various anti-virus and computer prote3tion measures
and topics around those3 matters
some excerpts are :-
But when a Russian cybersecurity firm, Kaspersky Lab, was called to Ukraine to investigate, it discovered that the errant machine was the least of the bank's problems. The bank's internal computers, used by employees who process daily transfers and conduct bookkeeping, had been penetrated by malware that allowed cybercriminals to record their every move. The malicious software lurked for months, sending back video feeds and images that told a criminal group - including Russians, Chinese and Europeans -- how the bank conducted its daily routines, according to investigators.
Then the group impersonated bank officers, not only turning on various cash machines, but also transferring millions of dollars from banks in Russia, Japan, Switzerland, the US and the Netherlands into dummy accounts set up in other countries.
In a report, to be published on Monday, and provided in advance to The New York Times, Kaspersky Lab says that the scope of this attack on more than 100 banks and other financial institutions in 30 nations could make it one of the largest bank thefts ever - and one conducted without the usual signs of robbery.
The Moscow-based firm says that because of non-disclosure agreements with banks that were hit, it cannot name them. Officials at the White House and FBI have been briefed on the findings, but say that it will take time to confirm and assess the losses.
Kaspersky Lab says it has seen evidence of $300 million in theft through clients, and believes the total could be triple that. But that projection is impossible to verify as the thefts were limited to $10 million a transaction, though some banks were hit several times. In many cases the hauls were more modest, presumably to avoid setting off alarms.
The majority of the targets were in Russia, but many were in Japan, the US and Europe
end of quote.
The banks involved in the losses are not disclosing due to law, but some clients of
anti-virus company Kaspersky were willing to disclose some details
would appreciate the forum to discuss what are the possible actions to avoid such events
and also appreciate a discussion on the various anti-virus and computer prote3tion measures
and topics around those3 matters
