New Trojan Virus That Empties Out Bank Accounts is Undetectable

Posted on August 12, 2010 by Jennifer Latkiewicz

Yuh-oh. A new trojan virus called Zeus3 has been wreaking havoc, draining more than 3,000 bank accounts worldwide of just over $1 million, according to Crunch Gear.  On top of being the “most sophisticated and dangerous threat” that M86 Security, the first group to discover the trojan, has come across, there’s more: it’s undetectable to malware or virus scanners.

Even more: Zeus3 is a crafty bugger, too, waiting patiently (and undetected) in your system until you log into your bank account online. After recording all of your log-in info and account records, the virus then transfers all but $50 of your funds into a third-party account. To add insult to injury, the trojan even serves up a fake bank statement page, making you think all is well with your account when all you actually have left is $50.

Short of a self-imposed Internet ban, the only solution is just to keep close tabs on your bank accounts using other available banking options such as an ATM, a local branch or telephone service. Fortunately (kind of?), the Zeus3 virus has only affected customers from one online banking system. The virus also seems to only strike Windows users but for now, it’s probably best to exercise some extra caution just in case.