Check Point Research reveals that for straight three months the Trickbot is by far the most common malware, whereas, for the very first time, the Snake Keylogger is the second most prevalent malware.
The Snake Keylogger, first spotted in November 2020 – is a modular.NET keylogger and credential stealer. Snake Keylogger has advanced to the position of second-most frequent malware variant in the world and has become increasingly popular in recent weeks as per the Check Point’s Global Threat Index for July 2021.
The main function of the malware is to capture keystrokes of users on computers or mobile devices and then to pass over the collected information to the rogue software's cyber thieves and hackers.
Infections with Snake Keylogger are indeed a huge threat to the data privacy of any user and internet security because spyware can stole nearly everything. It is also usually considered to be an especially deceptive and persistent keylogger. After a spur of effective phishing attacks, Snake Keylogger has become extremely prevalent. The malware is currently purchasable at a variety of underground sites, with purchasers being able to buy the malware for only $25.
Check Point researchers have shown that Snake Keylogger attacks are typically very efficient because of the human tendency to use the same password and username on many accounts. Thereby, after an infringement of a certain login credential, malicious hackers get access to all accounts using the same password.
Maya Horowitz, VP of Check Point Research, recommended that users must employ a "unique option" for each of the many profiles to stop such cyberattacks. “When it comes to password policies, choosing a strong, unique password for each service is the best advice, then even if the bad guys do get hold of one of your passwords, it won’t immediately grant them access to multiple sites and services,” she further explained.
“Where possible, users should reduce the reliance on passwords alone, for example by implementing Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) or Single-Sign-On (SSO) technologies,” Horowitz added. Keeping vigilance whenever visiting the web or checking emails is highly encouraged by Horowitz.
As 'Keyloggers' are frequently spread through phishing emails, users must be aware of subtle anomalies, such as errors in URLs and email addresses. They must avoid clicking on malicious links or downloading any unusual attachments.
Check Point research also identified some of the world's leading malware families, as well as provided information on rising mobile malware activity. It affirms that Trickbot is indeed the world's most popular malware that has an impact of 4%, trailed by Snake Keylogger and XMRig, each with worldwide impacts of 3%.
Trickbot is an ongoing modular Botnet and Banking Trojan with new functions, features, and vectors for propagation. Meanwhile, XMRig which was first seen in the wild in May 2017 – is an open-source CPU mining program that is used for Monero cryptocurrency mining.
Throughout the month of July, xHelper was recognized as one of the most widespread mobile viruses in the world, followed by AlienBot and Hiddad. Studies indicate that xHelper has been around since March 2019. Whereas, Hiddad is an Android trojan that repackages and delivers legitimate programs to a third-party store. The primary purpose of the malware is to show advertisements.
