New malware destroys PC if found

A recently documented malware strain wipes infected hard drives if it is analysed or detected, it has been discovered.

The virus, called Rombertik, is launched from a spam or phishing email and works by logging keystrokes and obtaining  data.

However, it further scans the system in a bid to find any actions to identify it. Once checks have been completed, the malware decrypts before installing itself on the user’s PC. A further copy then launches prior to overwriting the original code. The malware then proceeds to its final step to destroy the PC.

Security researchers Alex Chiu and Ben Baker from Cisco’s Talos Group said the new strain is unique, as it actively bids to shut down the system should it find particular characteristics associated with analysis of malware.

MWR InfoSecurity consultant Guillermo Lafuente spoke to SC when he said that if such malware finds its way into a commercial environment, the results could be catastrophic.

He explained:

“Fortunately, the malware seems to only spread via unsophisticated phishing emails, thus limiting the impact it can have in a corporate environment. It is unlikely that a large number of employees in the same company will open the email and execute the attachment.”

The more SMEs take precautions against such threats, the less likely they are to be victims of disaster. That is why it is so important, in this day and age, to fill cyber security jobs with trained professionals who can identify and thwart online attacks.