GozNym

Posted: April 15, 2016

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:	5/10
Infected PCs:	7

First Seen:	April 15, 2016
Last Seen:	February 14, 2019
OS(es) Affected:	Windows

GozNym is a spyware program in deployment against prominent financial institutions, such as banks currently. This threat combines code from two previous Trojans while delivering itself through specially-crafted e-mail content. Because malware experts have rated GozNym as a sophisticated, high-level threat with the potential for collecting data, PC users should protect their machines by using dedicated anti-malware tools for deleting GozNym infections, rather than trying to detect this threat by eye.

What Two Trojans can do When They Come Together

Although threat developers may recycle code from old threats to spawn new ones, in most cases, the recycled elements are parts of similar families, such as two types of backdoor Trojans. GozNym is a unique project where its developers chose to borrow the code from two completely disparate threats: the Nymaim and the Gozi ISFB spyware. The ready availability of the source codes for both of these threats has allowed con artists to launch a brand-new campaign with old technology, leveraging it against financial entities.

Although the Nymaim Ransomware was famous for using variants of the Blackhole Exploit Kit for delivering itself, GozNym uses a targeted, e-mail infection vector. Included file attachments may possess embedded macro exploits that, when launched, start a classic Trojan installation routine. GozNym does borrow in-memory persistence and general stealth features from the Nymaim Ransomware, although GozNym doesn't make any attempt to ransom the PC or its files.

GozNym's primary attacks owe more to Gozi ISFB than to the other family. It may use well-known Web-injecting techniques for collecting information from your Web browser, including passwords, login names, and other, protected data. GozNym also may use the same mechanisms to initiate fraudulent money transfers, when appropriate.

Severing a Double Threat from a Bank's Accounts

Both Gozi ISFB and the Nymaim Ransomware are significant, albeit relatively old, threats that can be threatening to any infected PC. However, the selective addition of code from one threat to the other one has made GozNym an even more potent Trojan than any of its predecessors. Although GozNym does not lock your desktop or otherwise impede essential operating activities, GozNym does target and collect business and other information with a high level of efficiency and persistence. Perhaps the best measure of the success of this threat design model is the fiscal results of the GozNym's campaign, which, in less than a month, is already responsible for an estimated four million USD in losses.

The GozNym campaign specializes in targeting businesses that include banks, credit unions and Web commerce companies. Its delivery method is, perhaps, the greatest weak point in its attacks, which requires victims opening documents and then enabling macros (which, as a secure measure, are disabled by default) manually. Any anti-malware scan by competent PC security tools should detect the document's being a Trojan dropper. However, such campaigns may use e-mail messages that include information specific to the target to increase the chances of success.

Besides the potential for minor changes in memory usage, GozNym shows no symptoms. Malware experts can only advise using anti-malware products for finding and uninstalling GozNym, which may include additional components with reinstall capabilities.

GozNym

Threat Metric

What Two Trojans can do When They Come Together

Severing a Double Threat from a Bank's Accounts

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