Researchers at Group-IB have discovered a new NFC relay malware family, purpose-built to capture live card data via NFC and forward it in real time to attackers. They dubbed it “WindRelay.”
NFC (Near Field Communication) is wireless technology that allows devices such as smartphones, payment cards, and payment terminals to communicate when they’re very close together. So, instead of stealing your physical bank card, the attackers capture NFC activity on an infected mobile phone and relay it in real time to a criminal-controlled device held against a contactless payment terminal, or an ATM that supports contactless cash withdrawals.
The researchers describe a 13-minute call impersonating a bank, in which a victim was persuaded to install an Android app labelled with the bank’s name. That app was a remote access Trojan (RAT) called SpyNote. SpyNote gave the attacker remote control of the phone and enabled the quiet installation of a second app, WindRelay.
Read more…
Source: Malware Bytes Labs
Sign up for the Cyber Security Review Newsletter
The latest cyber security news and insights delivered right to your inbox
Related:
- Smaller firms set to ‘face £52bn in fines’ for security breaches as cyber-crime skyrockets
January 14, 2017
British firms were each subjected to an average of almost 230,000 cyber attacks in 2016, according to analysis from business internet service provider Beaming. The average volume of attacks hitting individual company firewalls passed the 1,000 per day mark for the first time in November. Meanwhile, the Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council suggested that UK firms ...
- Netflix Users Under Attack As Hackers Try to Steal Credit Card Info
January 10, 2017
Security company FireEye detected a new wave of attacks aimed at Netflix users, with cybercriminals now turning to phishing schemes in order to steal their personal information, including credit card data, social security numbers, and other details. Although it seems that the attacks have been suspended, Netflix users in the United States should always keep an ...