RedKit Exploit Kit

Posted: February 22, 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:	14

First Seen:	February 22, 2013
OS(es) Affected:	Windows

First noticed in early 2012, RedKit Exploit Kit is a package of exploits that can install malicious software onto your PC without your permission. RedKit Exploit Kit's latest attack involved a briefly successful hacking of the NBC website, which forced the site to host redirects to RedKit Exploit Kit-hosting sites from several locations (such as its main homepage and several pages related to talk show hosts). These RedKit Exploit Kit attacks ended in the installation of one of several variants of Keylogger Zeus, allowing criminals to steal confidential and fiscal data from the affected PCs. Because these attacks and their resulting Trojans don't show symptoms of their presence, SpywareRemove.com security analysts suggest the utilization of anti-malware software to disinfect your PC if you've visited the NBC website at all recently.

RedKit Exploit Kit: Painting Your PC Red with the Attacks of Banking Trojans

RedKit Exploit Kit has been around for roughly a year now and, throughout its brief lifespan, has been sold as a product for other criminals to use to delivery their own specialized malware payloads to vulnerable computers. With exploits for such platforms as Java and Adobe's PDF format at its metaphorical fingertips, RedKit Exploit Kit may install these PC threats automatically and without displaying any evidence of its attack. However, RedKit Exploit Kit attacks must first be triggered: by exposure to a malicious site or a hacked one that's been forced, like NBC's homepage, to include malicious content.

NBC – one of the top television networks for the United States – is just the latest victim in RedKit Exploit Kit's attacks, which SpywareRemove.com malware researchers and others have noticed appear to be on an uptrend as of this year. Anyone who visited NBC's site recently is at risk for having their PC infected by high-level PC threats. Currently-identified payloads from this attack include a ZeroAccess Trojan and a Citadel Trojan – both of which target and steal private information, including account passwords, user names, security question answers and other sensitive data. These attacks pose a special risk for financial information, such as that which might be used for online banking transactions.

Toning Down the RedKit Exploit Kit's Flagrant Exploitation of Your Savings

To defend your PC against future RedKit Exploit Kit attacks, SpywareRemove.com malware experts would recommend the same precautions that they suggest for other exploit kits like Blackhole Exploit Kit, Phoenix, Stamp EK, NuclearPack Exploit Kit, Whitehole Exploit Kit or Sweet Orange. Disable features, such as Java or Flash, that you don't need unless you trust the site in question. Update all your software, which will prevent patched vulnerabilities from being used against your computer. Use strong browser security settings. Keep security software with web-browsing protective features on your PC.

If you have any reason to think that your PC may have been compromised in the latest RedKit Exploit Kit attack or any similar attack, you shouldn't expect to see symptoms of the infection. However, strong anti-malware products can detect Citadel Trojans and other PC threats that may be installed by the RedKit Exploit Kit – particularly if you take steps to disable any malware that you can before you scan your computer. SpywareRemove.com malware researchers also suggest that you take steps to secure any leaked personal information after removing any spyware that's used in a RedKit Exploit Kit attack.

RedKit Exploit Kit

Threat Metric

RedKit Exploit Kit: Painting Your PC Red with the Attacks of Banking Trojans

Toning Down the RedKit Exploit Kit's Flagrant Exploitation of Your Savings

Leave a Reply