New ZeuS source code based rootkit available for purchase on the underground market


By Dancho Danchev

We have recently spotted a new underground market ad, featuring a new commercially available malware bot+rootkit based on the ZeuS crimeware’s leaked source code. According to its author, the modular nature of the bot, allows him to keep coming up with new plugins, resulting in systematic “innovation” and the introduction of new features.

What’s the long-term potential of this malware bot with rootkit functionality? Does it have the capacity to challenge the market leading malware bot families? What are some of the features that differentiate it from the rest of competing bots currently in the wild? What’s the price of the bot, and what are the prices for the separate plugins available for purchase? Let’s find out.

More details:

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Researchers spot Citadel, a ZeuS crimeware variant


By Dancho Danchev

Security researchers from “Tracking Cyber Crime” have spotted a new ZeuS crimeware variant, that’s based on the leaked ZeuS source code from last year.

Dubbed Citadel, the crimeware is positioned as a universal spyware system, whose modular nature allows cybercriminals to offer flexibly priced value-added services such as managed malware crypting, and managed web injects as a service.

Some of Citadel’s core features include:

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