Is RBN (Russian Business Network) really linked to Facebook Zeus variant? Exclusive interview with WhiteHat who has investigated on the malware.
RBN or ordinary crime, Zeus is appearing in new forms and using new infection channels but according some security analysts behind new a variant there could be the support of members of dangerous criminal organization RBN.
As described in a previous post principal security firm detected a new variant of Facebook Zeus malware that is exploiting the popular social network to target user’s bank accounts. The Facebook Zeus malware variant, known as ZeuS/ZBOT, is the demonstration of the longevity of malicious code and the ability of cybercrime to customize it according to its needs.
The Facebook Zeus virus has been designed with the intent to steal money from the user’s bank accounts, the malicious code exploits phishing messages as a method of propagation. A compromised account is used to automatically send messages to its contact with links to ads, usually to video or product.
Eric Feinberg, founder of the advocacy group Fans Against Kounterfeit Enterprise (FAKE) declared that has tried to warn Facebook on the diffusion of the cyber threat. I contacted Mr Feinberg requesting major info on the event and he told me:
“Best way to describe how we uncover the Zeus Malware is as follows. I observed that the Russian Business Network was created Fake Facebook Profiles that were posted .tk links to websites selling counterfeit Merchandise. The .tk links caught my attention when i did url query of these .tk links url query report listed these as likely hostile and from the Russian Business Network. I turn the links over to a colleague who identified the Zeus Botnet”
The Zeus rebirth hides also a mysterious particular, according to the revelation of a talented researcher, I’ll call him “WhiteHat”, that conducted for a first investigation on malicious agent it could be linked to the Russian Business Network, a terrible Russian criminal gang that seems to be not more active.
The doubt is shared by part of the security community that is convinced that members of the organization are still actively operating in governments probably involved in cyber espionage campaigns such as Red October.
I was curious to have news on the link within the crime organization RBN and the malware so I contacted directly “White Hat”, following my interview with the researcher.
Q: How did you find the Zues Zbot?
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