BlackPOS

Posted: March 28, 2013

Threat Metric

The Threat Meter is a malware assessment that SpywareRemove.com's research team is able to give every identifiable malware threat. Our Threat Meter includes several criteria based off of specific malware threats to value their severity, reach and volume. The Threat Meter is able to give you a numerical breakdown of each threat's initial Threat Level, Detection Count, Volume Count, Trend Path and Percentage Impact. The overall ranking of each threat in the Threat Meter is a basic breakdown of how all threats are ranked within our own extensive malware database. The scoring for each specific malware threat can be easily compared to other emerging threats to draw a contrast in its particular severity. The Threat Meter is a useful tool in the endeavor of seeking a solution to remove a threat or pursue additional analytical research for all types of computer users.

The following fields listed on the Threat Meter containing a specific value, are explained in detail below:

Threat Level: The threat level scale goes from 1 to 10 where 10 is the highest level of severity and 1 is the lowest level of severity. Each specific level is relative to the threat's consistent assessed behaviors collected from SpyHunter's risk assessment model.

Detection Count: The collective number of confirmed and suspected cases of a particular malware threat. The detection count is calculated from infected PCs retrieved from diagnostic and scan log reports generated by SpyHunter.

Volume Count: Similar to the detection count, the Volume Count is specifically based on the number of confirmed and suspected threats infecting systems on a daily basis. High volume counts usually represent a popular threat but may or may not have infected a large number of systems. High detection count threats could lay dormant and have a low volume count. Criteria for Volume Count is relative to a daily detection count.

Trend Path: The Trend Path, utilizing an up arrow, down arrow or equal symbol, represents the level of recent movement of a particular threat. Up arrows represent an increase, down arrows represent a decline and the equal symbol represent no change to a threat's recent movement.

% Impact (Last 7 Days): This demonstrates a 7-day period change in the frequency of a malware threat infecting PCs. The percentage impact correlates directly to the current Trend Path to determine a rise or decline in the percentage.

Threat Level:	2/10
Infected PCs:	22

First Seen:	March 28, 2013
OS(es) Affected:	Windows

BlackPOS is a spyware program that steals credit and debit card information by infecting specialized business computers that are used for financial transactions. Similar to Dexter, vSkimmer and other POS (point-of-sale) PC threats, BlackPOS is installed by stealth-based methods and will attempt to extract the relevant information without noticing employees, afterward uploading any stolen information to an external server. Standard security procedures for securing Internet-accessible POS computers can be sufficient for blocking a potential BlackPOS infection. However, a successful BlackPOS infection is unlikely to be detectable without access to an appropriate anti-malware program, and SpywareRemove.com malware experts particularly encourage all affected businesses to take any legally-appropriate actions to safeguard their customers after a potential security breach of their personal information.

BlackPOS: a New Member in the Gang of Bank Robbers for the Internet Age

BlackPOS (sold by its criminal developer, aliased Richard Wagner, with the unimaginative title of 'Dump Memory Grabber by Ree') is spyware that's designed to specifically infect bank computers that are used for processing credit and debit card information. While such capabilities aren't new to spyware in general, BlackPOS is somewhat alarming for circumstantial evidence indicative of BlackPOS already having compromised potentially thousands of cards that are in use at major banks that include Capital One, Citibank, Nordstrom Bank and Chase. The major infection vectors for BlackPOS attacks include software vulnerabilities that are caused by outdated OS software and remote control accounts with easily-hacked user/password fields – although SpywareRemove.com malware researchers warn that BlackPOS also may be installed by additional methods whenever they're available.

After BlackPOS is installed (through methods that will not display symptoms of a visually identifiable nature), BlackPOS tries to read memory processes that are associated with any attached card readers. This grants BlackPOS access to enough credit/debit card information which allows criminals to create virtual versions of the cards that can be abused for fraudulent purchases. SpywareRemove.com malware analysts haven't found any indications of BlackPOS including means of transferring the data other than by a typical server-uploading function, which requires the POS computer to have some form of online connectivity.

Keeping Your Credit Cards Thief-Free

Because BlackPOS is sold to purchasers as a for-hire form of spyware, other infection routes may be used to distribute BlackPOS – depending on which criminals purchase and exploit its capabilities in the near future. However, as a result of BlackPOS's current methodology and features, SpywareRemove.com malware experts recommend that you keep all POS computers thoroughly updated, as well as equipped with appropriate security software that can block possible BlackPOS infections. As an additional defense, you also may want to consider disallowing your point-of-sale computers from having Internet access whenever it's not required.

SpywareRemove.com malware analysts also emphasize that BlackPOS, although BlackPOS is genuine spyware and a threat to your PC, is specialized for bank-related computers and is not a threat to casual PC users. BlackPOS hasn't shown any capabilities for stealing information from PCs that aren't associated with POS business tools, and PC users who aren't employed at a bank are unlikely ever to need to know how to detect or remove BlackPOS.

BlackPOS

Threat Metric

BlackPOS: a New Member in the Gang of Bank Robbers for the Internet Age

Keeping Your Credit Cards Thief-Free

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