Pretty much since the introduction of the internet came internet crime, commonly referred to as cybercrime. This type of crime uses a computer to target companies and individuals in a way to illegally obtain money in one form or another and is a big problem in today’s society.
One of the more recent, large scale, cybercrime operations to be busted was in Russia where more than 50 people are said to have been arrested in connection with the attacks. This particular cyber attack operation is said to have stolen around 1.7 billion roubles ($25 million) from innocent bank account holders and had a further 2.3 billion roubles in pending payments.
The hackers created a malware called Lurk that was used to intrude into bankers’ and other officials’ accounts enticing them to open personalized emails that would unknowingly activate the malicious software. Once installed it had the ability to take over the computer, remove current security features, and extract the data required, all while covering its own tracks.
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There were some different Russian banks targeted in this operation, but the hackers used Sberbank specifically to steal login and password information for online accounts. But it is not just Russia that is being affected. The world of cybercrime is a costly affair, and it is estimated that the cost of the damage caused annually is more than $445 billion throughout the globe.
Security and technology experts are always improving and implementing new features that are designed to protect us and our money. But, it is always worth being that little more vigilant, especially when it is your own money at stake. So just be cautious of the many cyber scams that are around and don’t let them deceive you.
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