DOJ Disables Malware Designed for Bank-Theft; Unseals Indictment Against Botnet Administrator

DOJ Enforcement Privacy/Cyber Risk & Data Security

On October 13, the DOJ unsealed an indictment against a Moldovan citizen for his alleged involvement in a criminal conspiracy to steal confidential financial information by distributing malware software through phishing emails. According to the indictment, the Defendant and his co-conspirators infected computers with malware designed to circumvent anti-virus protections and steal confidential personal and financial information from victims. The confidential information, such as online banking credentials, was used to “falsely represent to banks that the defendant and co-conspirators were the victims or employees of the victims with authority to access the victims’ bank accounts.” The investigation found that an estimated $10 million loss in the U.S. alone can be attributed to the Defendant’s scheme.