Online banking virus hits SA
Johannesburg – Computer security company Symantec said infections of a virus known as Clampi have been detected in South Africa. The virus targets internet banking users and captures usernames and passwords for banking websites.
According to Symantec, the virus was originally detected early in 2008, but infections have increased substantially since July 2009. British news site Times Online reported on Monday that the virus was spreading rapidly throughout the USA and Britain.
Said Times Online: “Once on the computer, the virus sits unnoticed until the user logs on to bank, credit card or other financial websites. It then captures log-in and password information and sends it to a server run by the attackers. They can then tell the compromised computer to send money to accounts that they control, or they can buy goods with the stolen credit card details.”
