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Skype Trojan steals login credentials

Insecurity plug-in

By John Leyden • Get more from this author

Posted in Software & Security, 17th October 2007 19:31 GMT

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Skype users, Beware a new Trojan that uses subtle social engineering tricks to try to steal your login credentials

The malware, which calls itself ‘Skype Defender’, poses as a security plug-in. Infected users are prompted to log-into their Skype accounts. Cleverly the Trojan displays what looks like a Skype login screen, the internet telephony company warns.

If a user enters his Skype username and password, the Trojan displays a message saying that the name and password are unrecognized.

Behind the scenes, this information - as well as all usernames and passwords saved in Internet Explorer - is sent to a hacker-controlled website. By compromising user Skype accounts, hackers gain access to SkypeOut credits, which might be resold, and a possible means to access the PayPal accounts used to pay for those credits.

F-Secure, TrendMicro, Symantec, WebSense, and FaceTime Security Labs have added detection for the Trojan. F-Secure, for example, describes it as the Skyper-B Trojan.

In recent months Skype's Instant messaging client has occasionally been misused as a vector to spread malware. None have been particularly effective. The Skyper-B Trojan is a more serious threat because it is capable of causing victims direct financial loss, a factor that fits in with the wider shift towards malware for profit as an engine for virus creation. ®

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