The e-mail spam informs customers that FedEx(R) was not able to deliver a specific package sent one month ago. The message also asks the recipients to download and print the attached invoice in order to retrieve the package. However, the attached archive does not hold the alleged invoice, but an extremely dangerous piece of malware, known as Trojan.Spy.ZBot or one of its many variants, such as Trojan.Spy.Wsnpoem.HA.

This malware was specially engineered to steal sensitive e-banking data. Once it penetrates a system, it installs in Windows\System32 directory, where it creates the rootkit-hidden wsnpoem folder that it populates with the encrypted ntos.exe, audio.dll and video.dll files (in effect, the two so-called "DLLs" are used for configuration and storage purposes). It also creates a registry entry that enables its automatic launch each time Windows(R) starts up. To harvest the sensitive e-banking details, it injects code into winlogon.exe and iexplorer.exe processes and downloads one or several files from a remote server. It employs these files to store the data it gathers by monitoring the Web browser activity.

"ZBot and its family have an increased damage potential, as they are able to deactivate the firewall, steal sensitive financial data such as credit card and account numbers, as well as login details, make screen shots and create logs of current working sessions," said Sorin Dudea, Head of BitDefender Antimalware Research. "In addition, it is capable of downloading supplemental components and providing a remote e-criminal with the means to access the compromised system. Hence, we strongly recommend you not to open these e-mails and their attachments and to install and activate a reliable antimalware, firewall and spam filter solution."

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SOURCE: BitDefender