Latest Trojan designed to steal online banking details

NHTCU warns that UK internet users are targets

An email Trojan designed to steal online banking details from UK internet users has been unleashed.

The National Hi-Tech Crime Unit (NHTCU) is warning that a number of people around the UK have reported receiving the email in the last few days, which also has the capability of spamming and soliciting other personal details.

The email tries to convince readers they have made an order for computing goods or web-hosting facilities. It is sent with a web link to sites in North America and China which pretend to hold further details on the transaction.

Recipients visiting the web site on an unprotected PC are then attacked by malicious Trojan code, which buries itself into the computer.

Fraudsters can then access secret passwords and PINs the next time a person logs into their online banking accounts allowing funds to be stolen, a NHTCU spokeswoman told Computing.

'The criminals behind these attacks are constantly evolving their techniques and changing tactics to target a wider range of victims,' said detective chief superintendent Len Hynds, head of the NHTCU.

'There is a second key-logger and a program that allows the machine to act as a mail proxy that could be used by spammers. It is the Swiss Army knife of the cyber-criminal,' he said.

UK payments association APACS has advised users to treat every unsolicited email with caution and warned against clicking on unknown links.

'By being wary of unsolicited emails and maintaining basic security measures on your computer you can go online with confidence,' said Sandra Quinn, director of corporate communications at APACS.

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