Skip to main content

‘Most Dangerous Trojan Virus Ever’ Steals Over $1 Million

It is like the plot of a Hollywood movie, only the bad guys are definitely winning so far. Earlier this week, the internet security group M86 uncovered a Trojan virus targeting an unnamed financial institution in the UK. The “Zeus Trojan” has already siphoned off over $1 million from over 3,000 British customers between July 5 and August 4, and it shows no signs of stopping.

The thefts were discovered after M86 gained access to the command-and-control server in the Eastern Europe country of Moldova. As for the money, M86 could not give an exact location for where it was going, other than to suggest that it was heading into the former Soviet states- which likely meant that the money was going to the Russian mafia, or another Eastern European gang.

Recommended Videos

“We’ve never seen such a sophisticated and dangerous threat. Always check your balance and have a good idea of what it is.” M86 said in a security report released on Tuesday.

The Zeus Trojan, also known as Zbot has infected more than 37,000 computers in the UK through a drive-by download. Users visiting a compromised site would unknowingly receive the virus as a cookie, hidden as part of a legitimate ad on potentially any website.

Once the virus is on the computer, it waits until the user goes to their bank’s website — it is only one specific bank that has yet to be named as the investigation is ongoing — and then it intercepts password information before it can be encrypted.  Once the trojan has access to the account, it checks to make sure that there is at least £800 available, then it begins to transfer anywhere up to £5,000 to various bank accounts. Once the transfer is complete, the virus then creates a false electronic statement to conceal the missing funds.

Most, if not all, of the victims will have their money reimbursed by the bank.

“In the vast majority of cases, if people had kept their computer’s operating systems and software such as Internet Explorer up to date they would not have been attacked,” Ed Rowley, product manager at M86 said, according to the Daily Mail.

“More often than not Trojans exploit known vulnerabilities that can be simply patched and fixed by downloading updates.”

Earlier this month, the UK based security group, Trusteer warned that more than 100,000 computers may have been infected with the Zeus Trojan, meaning that this is far from over.

Ryan Fleming
Former Gaming/Movies Editor
Ryan Fleming is the Gaming and Cinema Editor for Digital Trends. He joined the DT staff in 2009 after spending time covering…
Topics
Google confirms merging Chrome OS and Android into one platform
Google Chrome app on s8 screen.

Why it matters: Google's push to blend Chrome OS and Android could supercharge affordable laptops like Chromebooks, making them more versatile for work and play. This move echoes Apple's seamless ecosystem across iPadOS and macOS, potentially shaking up the PC market where Windows dominates but innovation lags.

What's happening: In a bombshell interview, Google's Android ecosystem president Sameer Samat outright confirmed the company is "combining Chrome OS and Android into a single platform. This follows months of rumors and aligns with Android 16's new desktop-friendly features, like proper windowing and external display support. But then Samat later clarified on X that it's not a full-on merger killing Chrome OS; instead, it's about weaving Android's tech stack deeper into Chrome for better app compatibility and hardware efficiency.

Read more
WeTransfer backlash highlights need for smarter AI practices
A pair of hands using a keyboard on a laptop.

A recent update to WeTransfer’s terms of service caused consternation after some of its customers feared that it meant content from files uploaded to the popular file-sharing service would automatically be used to train AI models.

But the Netherlands-based company insisted on Tuesday that this is not the case, saying in a statement that it "does not sell user content to third parties,” and nor does it "use AI in connection with customer content.”

Read more
Uber shifts gear in the robotaxi race
Uber app.

Uber has inked a deal with Chinese tech giant Baidu to add “thousands” of its robotaxis to the American company’s ride-hailing app.

Baidu has been testing its Apollo Go robotaxis in several Chinese cities since 2019. But the partnership with Uber will involve Apollo Go ride-hailing services outside of China and the U.S., with the first deployments expected in parts of Asia and the Middle East later this year.

Read more