[ad_1]
It’s no secret that over the past few years, threat actors have become more sophisticated in their efforts to scam people of their hard-earned money and steal personal information. One of the methods which the threat actors have recently been using to infiltrate systems is the CryptBot malware. This malicious software steals sensitive information such as passwords, cookies, and credit card information and sells it to other malware makers and distributors. However, Google has finally taken action and disrupted the malware’s infrastructure and distributors.
In the blog post announcing the decision, Google revealed that the CryptBot malware, which spread through malicious apps such as a fake Google Chrome and Google Earth Pro, infected around 670,000 computers last year, compromising users’ personal information and selling it for data breach campaigns. However, Google’s recent action will help prevent new infections and slow the malware’s growth.
“Lawsuits have the effect of establishing both legal precedents and putting those profiting, and others who are in the same criminal ecosystem, under scrutiny. This litigation is another step forward in holding cybercriminals accountable, by not just targeting those that operate botnets, but also those that profit from malware distribution,” reads the company’s blog post.
How did Google take down the malware?
Google’s actions against the malware came after the company identified the malware’s Pakistan-based distributors with the help of its Threat Analysis Group (TAG) and took legal action against them. Google filed a legal complaint against many major CryptBot distributors and secured a temporary court order to hamper the developers’ ability to spread the malware. With the order, Google was able to take down the current and future domains linked to the distribution of the malware.
While Google’s action against the malware distributors is commendable, considering its brand identity was at stake, the incident highlights the need for users to take necessary precautions while browsing the web. These include downloading apps and software from credible sources, keeping operating systems up to date, and installing antivirus software.
[ad_2]
Source link