Malware Writers Posting Online Ads for Recruiting Coders

Writer for a security column Brian Krebs says there's apparently a dearth of skills among malware writers, as criminal groups post increasing number of banner advertisements while seeking talented programmers who can assist in raising the features and stealth of existing malware. TechEYE.net published this on June 8, 2011.

Incidentally, the majority of the recruitments relate to people who can dexterously develop tailored "crypters" i.e. software that would alter a malware's look in order that the latter may bypass anti-viruses' detection.

Krebs, who's based in Russia, writes that employers, while trying to entice programmers, are applying one fresh recruitment tool that promises base salaries between $2,000 and $5,000 per month.

Lately according to a fresh study, most PCs contaminated with malware may've attained that state because of an underground economy, which while flourishing, corresponds with criminal gangs that buy malware installers, with innovative hackers seeking for providing access to hijacked computers at different prices.

Another thing that appeals to innovative malware purveyors alternatively associates is the pay-per-install facility. This facility actually helps hackers determine the manner in which malware can be loaded onto victims' PCs. Commonly, the loading techniques comprise uploading of corrupt software onto open networks for file sharing; breaking into genuine websites so that malware programs may automatically get downloaded on visitors' PCs; as well as executing those similar programs onto computers that have already been hijacked.

Meanwhile, as per an analysis, the pay-per-install facilities offer over 1m installers. Consequently, an astonishing thing was discovered, that is, among the 20 varieties of most malicious software across the globe, 12 utilized pay-per-install facilities for purchasing viruses.

Significantly, the researchers opted for mapping malware distribution across different geographies wherein the said facilities thrust the malicious software. As a result, the researchers developed a mechanical method for pulling down installers. They utilized the EC2 cloud computing environment of Amazon as well as "Tor," which's a freely available facility allowing end-users to communicate without revealing their identity via channeling their connections employing several worldwide PCs, while making the pay-per-install tool believe that queries were being made from various places on the planet.

Related article: Malware Authors Turn More Insidious

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