PRESS RELEASE
Banking Trojans favoured by cyber criminals to target users
London, UK, 8th March 2012 - G Data, the Internet security specialist, has discovered that the number of threats to smartphones and tablet PCs increased by 150% in the second half of 2011. Particular focus was on the Android operating system, attacks on which increased eight-fold over the sameperiod. Another focal point of malware writers seems to be banking Trojans that attack the highly secured connection between the bank and the user. These are the main conclusions of the G Data bi-annual Malware Report.
Analysis shows that the interval between new Trojans being launched at online banking customers is decreasing steadily. With an average lifecycle of 27 hours, malware authors try to circumvent reactive defence mechanisms in antivirus software.
Eddy Willems, G Data's Security Evangelist, comments: "Cyber criminals attack where there is profit. It may therefore be no surprise that malware writers are focusing more attention on smartphones and tablets, as more and more people are using these devices. The fact that few users have a security solution on their mobile device to protect against attacks also makes it easier for cyber criminals to steal personal information, valuable corporate information and money".
Willems continues: "Furthermore, we've been seeing a rise in bank Trojans that can break into secure online banking sessions. The life cycle of these highly intelligent malware is getting shorter, and is now only around 27 hours. Most antivirusproviders are unable to provide the corresponding signatures in this short time frame. Thanks to its BankGuard technology, G Data has managed to develop signature-independent real-time protection against this type of malware and can thus effectively protect online banking customers against this risk ".
Over the last year, G Data Security Labs counted a total of 2.575 million new computer malware strains. In the second half of the year alone, 1,330,146 new malicious programs were detected. Compared to the previous year, malware has thus increased by 23 percent. Trojan horses are still the dominant malware category, but G Data security experts have also seen a sharp increase in the number of adware and spy programs. This shows that displaying ads and spying on personal data is currently particularly profitable for the perpetrators.
Mobile malware still on the rise
Cyber criminals are still focusing on smartphones and tablet PCs with Android operating systems. The number of mobile malware strains increased 2.5-fold over the second half of the year. Compared to 2010, the number has increased more than ten-fold in 2011 as a whole. The perpetrators use variants of malware apps that have alreadybeen circulated as well as manipulated copies of otherwise harmless applications. The criminals send premium text messages to expensive numbers, target users' personal data (e.g. contacts and phone numbers) and register users with premium services.
Criminals targeting online banking
Online banking is a popular service that more and more people are using. As with other services, increasing user acceptance has also made it more appealing to cyber criminals. Cyber criminals use special banking Trojans to manipulate online banking transactions, for example, to transfer specified monetary amounts to other accounts.
Analysis by the G Data Security Labs reveals that there are a select few families of banking Trojans, and these are used as the basis for constantly creating new malware variants with ever shorter lifecycles. This tactic seems very effective, as a study by the Bonn University and G Data Security Labs showsthat the detection rate within the first 24 hours of new banking Trojans by the 43 best sold virus scanners averages at 27%.*
For more information about malware occurrences, see the G Data Malware Report 2/2011:
http://www.gdatasoftware.co.uk/uploads/media/GData_MWR_2_2011_DE_EN_final2.pdf
G Data Software AG
Bochum-based G Data Software AG is an innovative and rapidly expanding software house that specialises in IT security solutions. A specialist in Internet security and pioneer in the field of virus protection, the company was founded in Bochum in 1985 and developed the first antivirusprogram more than 20 years ago.
This makes G Data one of the oldest security software companies in the world. For more than five years, no other European security software provider has won more national and international tests and awards than G Data.
The product range comprises security solutions for end customers as well as medium to large-sized enterprises. G Data security solutions are available in more than 90 countries worldwide.
More information about the company and the G Data Security solutions is available at www.gdatasoftware.co.uk.
