A new computer virus has infected almost 75,000 computers worldwide - including 10 U.S. government agencies - collecting login credentials from online financial, social networking sites and email systems and reporting back to hackers.
The virus, dubbed the Kneber botnet, is thought to be the brainchild of an Eastern European criminal group that is likely selling the information on the black market, according to the Internet security firm NetWitness, which uncovered the attacks in January.
The attacks are continuing and corporate losses are still being compiled, said NetWitness chief technology officer Tim Belcher.
The FBI, Department of State and Department of Homeland Security have been notified, Belcher said.
The crime groups "running this activity are every bit as expert at compromising systems and siphoning off information as nation states," according to Belcher.
"They're well funded, motivated and successful." Hackers using the new virus have infiltrated the computer networks of more than 2,400 companies in almost 200 countries over an 18-month period, the Herndon, Va.-based computer security firm reported.
Further investigation revealed that many commercial and government systems were compromised, including 68,000 corporate login credentials and access to email systems, online banking sites, Yahoo, Hotmail and social networks such as Facebook.
Infiltrated companies include pharmaceutical giant Merck & Co., Cardinal Health Inc., software firm Juniper Networks and Paramount Pictures, the Wall Street Journal reported Thursday.
Hackers reportedly used the virus to break into computers at 10 U.S. government agencies and in one case obtained the user name and password for a soldier's military e-mail account.
Companies in Egypt, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the U.S. are the most frequently targeted in the attack, according to a research paper released by NetWitness.
The attack uses a piece of software called ZeuS, designed in Eastern Europe, that takes control of large numbers of computers.
ZeuS is among the top five most reported computer infections, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
"These large-scale compromises of enterprise networks have reached epidemic levels," said Amit Yoran, CEO of NetWitness and former Director of the National Cyber Security Division.
"Cyber criminal elements like the Kneber crew quietly and diligently target and compromise thousands of government and commercial organizations across the globe."
Yoran said that conventional intrusion detection systems are "inadequate for addressing Kneber or most other advanced threats."
SOURCE: Daily News
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