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The black market for software nasties like viruses and spyware has grown hugely in recent years.
But a worrying new discovery by a web security specialist means there is an easy-to-use, highly effective and cheap way for cyber crooks to make trojans.
Security specialists PandaLabs uncovered an application for sale at numerous underground forums that makes creating software nasties simple.
It allows even moderately skilled users to make malware, whether it be to download data or to steal passwords.
Called Pinch, the app is offered on several dubious forums.
The internet terror tool allows creation of customised Trojans to get into unwitting PC users machines and wreak havoc.
PandaLabs says Pinch can not only define the actions for the Trojan to take, but will create an executable file to make its detection more difficult, and can even disable anti-virus software.
"This allows malicious attackers to have an executable ready to infect, steal, spread, etc. in a few minutes," warned PandaLabs' security blog.
"Consequently, it causes victims serious problems without them even realising, until it is too late and they have to face the financial consequences."
Malware use has increased significantly over recent years, and easy-hack tools like Pinch have helped would-be cyber thieves to set themselves up easily.
Pinch has been blamed for the Briz trojan that appeared recently it had already stolen over 14,000 users banking information before it was detected.
- NZ HERALD
