'Bizarro' Malware Targeting Bank Accounts, Crypto Wallets: Report

Most are now relying on internet banking for transactions, including settling bills and investing in cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. But this has also made people targets for cybercriminals who continue to release malware with the aim of gaining access to personal information.

One such malware, called Bizarro, is currently targeting bank accounts and crypto wallets, according to Securelist by Kaspersky, which said it is incredibly sophisticated.

Branded as a banking trojan, Bizarro has been preying on users in Brazil. But the hackers behind it continue to widen their scope by targeting users in Europe and parts of South America, Gizmodo reported. Its goal is to steal money from users, regardless of whether it is real-time money or cryptocurrency.

For those wondering how the trojan works, it is normally distributed via MSI downloads in spam messages. If clicked, it triggers a ZIP download from a compromised website that matches the victim’s processor architecture.

Once it successfully installs itself on the device, it starts to monitor the activity on the computer – including cryptocurrency transfers and online banking sessions.

The banking trojan also has other features that should concern consumers. Once active, Bizarro can terminate all browser processes and even kill online banking sessions. The reason behind this is simple. Once those sessions are terminated, users will be forced to re-enter banking credentials to log in again, giving hackers the chance to grab the information.

Bizarro also captures the contents of each screen and monitors the clipboard. Thus, when a bitcoin wallet is accessed, the trojan replaces it with a different one belonging to the hacker. Aside from this, the malware even tries to lure the victims into installing a different malicious app on their smartphones.

According to the security researchers, the trojan is already spreading in countries such as Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Germany, Spain, Portugal, France and Italy. It is just one of several trojans wreaking havoc right now, and it appears there are more threats on the horizon.