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Topic: Banking

'OddJob' Trojan robs online bankers

Summary: A new Trojan dubbed 'OddJob' is stealing people's money by taking over their online banking sessions after they think they've logged off.

Elinor Mills

By Elinor Mills |

A new Trojan dubbed 'OddJob' is stealing people's money by taking over their online banking sessions after they think they've logged off.

The Trojan, which targets Windows-based computers, is being used by criminals in eastern Europe to steal money from accounts in the United States, Poland and Denmark, Amit Klein, chief technology officer of Trusteer, writes in a blog post on Tuesday.

Klein said in an email that he could not identify the banks being targeted or provide an estimate on the number of victims. "It is early days for this malware," he said. "It appears to be a work in progress, so we expect the code to become more sophisticated over time."

For more on this story, read Online banking hit by thieves on CNET News.

Topics: Banking, Browser, E-Commerce, Malware, Security

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41 comments
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  • RE: 'OddJob' Trojan robs online bankers

    Call me a troll, but if i buy your operating system, i install all updates, and still that os is vulnerable, shouldn't the company from whom i bought it be held responsable for any loses that may occur from using it's os? Yes, i know, everyone using windows agreed in the EULA that they don't expect to be compensated in case of any damages with more than the value of the software (article 26 i think), but still, if your computer explodes and injures you, you don't expect to be compensated with only the value of that computer.
    d.marcu
    Reply Vote

    • RE: 'OddJob' Trojan robs online bankers

      @d.marcu
      If I lock my front door and someone breaks in and steals my plasma, should the lock company be held responsible? Or that ADT system that was active. Real world situations shouldn't come with compensations from random companies.
      Anti Fanboy
      Reply Vote

      • RE: 'OddJob' Trojan robs online bankers

        @Anti Fanboy, but what happens if you pay for a security company to protect your house, and when the alarm goes on they don't come fast enough and everything in your house gets stolen. They promised you protection and failed. Shouldn't they pay for that? If i was promised a secure os, i expect that, if not i should be compensated.
        d.marcu
        Reply Vote

    • RE: 'OddJob' Trojan robs online bankers

      @d.marcu
      You probably got that OddJob trojan because you weren't wearing one when you visited that questionable website. It's not the O.S.'s fault. You're the one thats suppose to have the brain, not the computer.
      Alienwilly
      Reply Vote

      • RE: 'OddJob' Trojan robs online bankers

        @Alienwilly, oh my f*** god, you people still try to find excuses with the old porn story? That's really pathetic and old. Any website can be hacked to distribute malware. Wasn't facebook hacked and accounts hyjacked to send false messages that directed users to malware infected sites? And there are viruses that attack random IP addresses in order to find 0 day windows bugs? Or a link in a instant message from someone who has it's pc infected? Should i continue? And i did not get infected with oddjob because i run FreeBSD.
        d.marcu
        Reply Vote

      • They Target Windows...

        ... because the majority of users are stupid! After all, they bought on price initially so it makes sense that they: 1) Don't update software; 2) Leave their WiFi wide-open; 3) Don't regularly scan their computer; 4) Visit porn and hacker sites; 5) etc., etc.
        Gr8Music
        Reply Vote

      • RE: 'OddJob' Trojan robs online bankers

        @Gr8Music

        First of all, most porn websites are clean. I go to TONS daily and don't get any viruses on my machine
        Second of all, most people DO update their software except the people with no internet connection.
        Third, you are right.... a lot of people don't regularly scan their computer.

        On the other things, I have to say those don't affect whether you get a virus or not very much.
        Lerianis10
        Reply Vote

    • RE: 'OddJob' Trojan robs online bankers

      PLEASE, people. Learn to spell! My god, I can feel my IQ dropping by the second every time I scroll down to read ZDNet comments...
      jmwells21
      Reply Vote

    • RE: 'OddJob' Trojan robs online bankers

      @d.marcu

      Okay, troll.

      No - I think you are wrong in your assumtions. Why don't you, and other people start taking responsibility for thewir own actions ? Time to stop the blamestorming, all the blank check suing going on, and freaking relax for God's sake. Will the bank not credit your account immediately if there is fraudulent activity ? If not, you need to change your bank, D. Marcu. If you DON'T update your system regularly, and you don't use a trusted anti-virus, and you surf the kind of sites where viri dwell, YOU DESERVE IT, PERIOD. Grow a pair, and take responsibiltiy - I'm tired of paying out the A$$ in insurance fees, hellish markups on crap because pansies whine about crap, and then sue someone. GROW UP.

      Oh, but wait, there is MORE ! I read on to see that you are an angelic FREEBSD user, so of course you are above everyone and everything. If it doesn't affect you, why get on here and whine ? Puh-leeze. GET. A. LIFE.
      SenKat
      Reply Vote

      • RE: 'OddJob' Trojan robs online bankers

        @SenKat, that's because i had my share of crap from the mighty M$, those days in school when i was forced to run windows for different projects, and instead of doing the work, i had to reinstall windows and all kind of maintenance crap. It's over now for me, but I'd still love to see them pay for all that BS.
        d.marcu
        Reply Vote

    • Great. A FreeBSD user who does not know

      @d.marcu

      what a trojan is. Hint: You bring it in yourself believing it was something else. Please learn some history, ok?

      This is not about any OS being vulnerable. Any OS which allow you to install software (i.e not walled gardens) are "vulnerable" to the device between the keyboard and the chair.

      Sheesh! I thought FreeBSD users were supposed to be tech savvy. You are obviously the exception to the rule.
      honeymonster
      Reply Vote

    • RE: 'OddJob' Trojan robs online bankers

      @d.marcu

      You are missing the fact that these OS's are as secure as the people in question can make them, and it is telling that with ALL the pron sites I surf..... I've only gotten a virus when I have been stupid enough to download one myself thinking it was a codec pack or something I wanted.

      In fact, more often the virus alerts on my machine are MISTAKEN alerts, like a game trainer being diagnosed as a virus.

      You are going to have to realize that ALL OS's have flaws in them, and get used to that fact. Otherwise, stop using computers period.
      Lerianis10
      Reply Vote

  • Here's your problem - Windows

    "which targets Windows-based computers"

    Mac based macs may continue to party on.
    HollywoodDog
    Reply Vote

    • RE: 'OddJob' Trojan robs online bankers

      @HollywoodDog

      until hackers get sick and tired of arrogant mac users and start coding malware for macs. Security by obscurity isn't security at all
      KBot
      Reply Vote

      • RE: 'OddJob' Trojan robs online bankers

        @KBot Yeah, and you've been saying that load of crap for years and it hasn't happened.

        Windows coders aren't smart enough to code viruses for Macs, they are all bumbling retards who code holes the size of a mack truck into their programs.
        Ron Burgundy
        Reply Vote

      • Threats: Empty and otherwise...

        @KBot writes, &ldquo;<em>Until hackers get sick and tired of arrogant mac users and start coding malware for macs.</em>&rdquo;

        It appears obvious that you are referring to yourself. Is that a threat? Are you even capable?
        Isocrates
        Reply Vote

      • Except Unix equals REAL security

        @KBot
        Taking a notion that's likely come from the unix security world (obscurity) and using it against unix in general is simply laughable.

        Apple based their OS on the same code that Linux, OpenBSD and FreeBSD have (the last two rightly stuck closer to their roots, especially OpenBSD) . They have inherited real security from a professional OS and have the scrutiny of the whole world, not including the closed apple GUI, which is the most dangerous part. This means that not only would malware writers have to raise their game and also do more work. The kind of malware that gets found on windows would never last long in the field on Unix-like systems, because it's generally rather simple malware. Firefox is Opensource and has the fastest time to patch record. Microsoft and programs running on windows consistently have the worst measured in years rather than hours.This means the ROI would be too low, primarily because of REAL security. If they get locked out just find another way in. It's more about the bad guys fighting over control of your windows box than whether they get in. They even patch it to keep others out and fail time and time again, just like you.
        kevlar700
        Reply Vote

      • RE: 'OddJob' Trojan robs online bankers

        @KBot

        Go for it, I've got a Mac, here's my IP 127.0.0.1, might I suggest a deltree C: to delete all my files.
        alsobannedfromzdnet
        Reply Vote

      • Please detail this &quot;real&quot; security found in UNIX.

        @kevlar700: [i]They have inherited real security from a professional OS and have the scrutiny of the whole world, not including the closed apple GUI, which is the most dangerous part.[/i]

        Like it or not UNIX and Windows share more in common wrt security than not.

        Also take note the article discusses a [i]trojan[/i] and not some other form of malware.
        ye
        Reply Vote

      • If you're so confident why hide behind the loopback address?

        @alsobannedfromzdnet: [i]Go for it, I've got a Mac, here's my IP 127.0.0.1, might I suggest a deltree C: to delete all my files.[/i]

        Why aren't you posting the public reachable address?
        ye
        Reply Vote
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