Citadel Malware: The Growing Threat

Post date: Sep 06, 2012 6:45:22 AM

Fraudsters Combine Extortion with Account Takeover

RSA's Etay Maor says Citadel malware and ransomware attacks highlight a growing threat banking institutions and consumers must be prepared to fight. What can institutions do to mitigate risk?

The Federal Bureau of Investigation's new warning about Citadel malware attacks has the industry's attention, and for good reason. Maor, who heads up RSA's FraudAction Research Lab, says these Trojan attacks are especially concerning because cyberfraudsters are waging a two-pronged war.

One prong attacks online bank accounts; the other hijacks the computer. The union of the two should sound an alarm for financial institutions.

But Maor says banks and credit unions can improve their abilities to detect and thwart these attacks by enhancing anomaly detection and fraud-prevention systems. "Layers of security are critical," he says. "There is no silver bullet."

Read More: http://www.bankinfosecurity.com/interviews/citadel-malware-growing-threat-i-1633?rf=2012-09-03-eb&elq=516f442497a34d438028a63711286a44&elqCampaignId=4414

By Tracy Kitten, August 24, 2012.