Europol Arrests 11 In Cybercrime Plot

The European Union’s law enforcement agency, Europol, arrested 11 people yesterday in what’s being called a “ransomware” plot.

Lead by Spanish investigators, the officers arrested men in Russia, Georgia and Ukraine who attempted to force people to pay money to continue using their computer or to not be turned into authorities on false charges including having child pornography on their machines. Continue reading

“Red October” Cyber-Attack Discovered

Russian research firm Kaspersky Labs released information today about a major cyber-crime attack that has been stealing classified government information since 2007.

The malware, code named “Red October,” is designed to steal encrypted files and has the ability to retrieve files that have been deleted on a computer if the deletion was not done in a secure manner. Continue reading

Russian Cyber-Gangster Targeting US Banks

Computer security firm McAfee has sent an alert to banks throughout the US that a Russian “cyber-gangster” using the alias “Thief-In-Law” is preparing a massive assault on the banking system.

The cyber-criminal has reportedly infected hundreds of computers in the US with the intent of stealing their bank account information. The information would then be used to pull money from their account and that of other people on the same banking system. Continue reading

Cybercriminals Target PC Computers Before They Leave The Factory

A study funded by Microsoft has discovered many new computers with malware that was installed at the factory allowing cybercriminals the opportunity to steal information from a computer from its first use.

The information comes in a release about the company’s investigation into the Nitol virus network. The virus allows criminals to steal personal information allowing them to access online bank accounts and transfer the available funds to untraceable accounts in offshore banks. Continue reading