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Fox News
12-03-2025
- Fox News
Malware steals bank cards and passwords from millions of devices
Infostealer malware is one of the biggest cybersecurity threats right now. There are different types of this malware, and it comes with all sorts of names. Some are even sold as software services, where hackers pay monthly fees to use them to scam people, just like you pay to access Netflix. The infostealer malware economy is clearly booming, and the latest evidence of that is a Kaspersky report claiming that at least 25 million users were targeted between the start of 2023 and the end of 2024. Infostealers are designed to capture any valuable information, including bank card details, passwords and sensitive media. A newly published report from Kaspersky Digital Footprint Intelligence reveals that nearly 26 million devices fell victim to infostealer malware across 2023 and 2024. Along with this, more than 2 million unique bank card details were leaked. Perhaps the most alarming statistic is that one in every 14 infections resulted in stolen bank card data. The stolen information didn't stop there. Passwords, second-factor authentication cookies and other sensitive credentials were also compromised. Kaspersky analysts pointed out that 2024 saw a sharp rise in infections driven by certain malware strains. RisePro, which made up only 1.4% of infections in 2023, surged to 22.45% in 2024. Stealc, a newer threat first detected in 2023, also gained traction, increasing its share from 2.65% to 13.33%. Despite these emerging threats, Redline remained the most widespread infostealer, responsible for 34.36% of all infections. By August 2024, researchers estimated that 15.9 million devices had been hit by infostealer malware in 2023. But by March 2025, that number had climbed to 16.49 million, surpassing earlier predictions by 3.69%. New log files from 2023 are still popping up on dark web platforms, suggesting the actual number of infections was even higher than expected. As of March 2025, researchers have tracked more than 9 million infections from 2024. The final count is expected to surpass 2023's numbers, but not by a huge margin. With the alarming rise in infostealer malware infections and the increasing sophistication of cybercriminals, it's crucial to take proactive measures to protect your sensitive information. Here are six effective ways to safeguard your bank cards and passwords. 1. Have strong antivirus software: Install and regularly update strong antivirus software on all your devices. Antivirus software can help detect and prevent infostealer malware infections. Be sure to perform regular scans to identify and remove potential threats. The best way to safeguard yourself from malicious links that install malware potentially accessing your private information is to have antivirus software installed on all your devices. This protection can also alert you to phishing emails and ransomware scams, keeping your personal information and digital assets safe. Get my picks for the best 2025 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices. 2. Use virtual cards for online payments: Instead of using your actual bank card, generate virtual cards through your bank or a service like These temporary cards limit exposure in case of a data breach. 3. Enable transaction alerts and spending limits: Set up real-time alerts for transactions and daily spending limits on your cards. This way, you'll be notified immediately of any unauthorized activity. 4. Never store card details in browsers: Infostealers target autofill data in Chrome, Edge and Firefox. Always deny the pop-up that asks to "save payment info" and use a secure password manager instead. You may also want to take advantage of additional digital security measures such as two-factor authentication. Newer types of authentication, such as Face ID and Touch ID, are slowly replacing passwords as a legitimate means to grant a person access to sensitive financial information. 5. Be smart about passwords: Simply employing all the password rules won't prevent a breach, but since you don't know exactly what information thieves are looking for, it can't hurt. You should use strong passwords and change them frequently. I recommend using a password manager to generate and store strong passwords. Get more details about my best expert-reviewed password managers of 2025 here. 6. Invest in personal data removal services: While no service promises to remove all your data from the internet, having a removal service is great if you want to constantly monitor and automate the process of removing your information from hundreds of sites continuously over a longer period of time. Check out my top picks for data removal services here. Infostealers are a major threat to everyone online, and they are also quite common. However, since this malware often disguises itself as legitimate apps or uses social engineering tricks, it's easy to get fooled. Even the most cautious individuals can fall victim to a well-executed campaign. The best way to stay safe is to exercise caution when browsing online, downloading apps or making online transactions. Using tools like a password manager and antivirus software can also help enhance security and make your life easier. Do you use a password manager, or do you still rely on memorizing passwords or writing them down? Let us know by writing us at For more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to Follow Kurt on his social channels: Answers to the most-asked CyberGuy questions: New from Kurt: Copyright 2025 All rights reserved.
Zawya
06-03-2025
- Zawya
Dark web data leak exposes millions of bank cards: Kaspersky analysis
According to Kaspersky Digital Footprint Intelligence experts, it's estimated that 2.3 million bank cards were leaked on the dark web, based on an analysis of data-stealing malware log files from 2023-2024. On average, every 14th infostealer infection results in stolen credit card information, with nearly 26 million devices compromised by infostealers, including more than 9 million in 2024 alone. Kaspersky released its report on the infostealer threat landscape while the technology world gathers at MWC 2025 in Barcelona. Kaspersky experts estimate that approximately 2,300,000 bank cards have been leaked on the dark web. This conclusion is based on an analysis of the log files from data-stealing malware, dated 2023-2024, that were leaked on the dark web market. While globally the share of leaked cards is well below 1%, 95% of the observed numbers appear technically valid. Infostealer malware is not only designed to extract financial information, but also credentials, cookies and other valuable user data, which is compiled into log files and then distributed within the dark web underground community. An infostealer can infect a device if a victim unknowingly downloads and runs a malicious file, for example one disguised as legitimate software, such as a game cheat. It can be spread through phishing links, compromised websites, malicious attachments in emails or messengers and various other methods. It targets both personal and corporate devices. Data-stealer threat landscape: 26 million devices found to be compromised over 2023-2024 On average, every 14th infostealer infection results in stolen credit card information. Kaspersky Digital Footprint Intelligence experts found that nearly 26 million devices running Windows were infected with various types of infostealers in the past two years. The number of infections with data-stealing malware, 2020-2024. Source: Kaspersky Digital Footprint Intelligence 'The actual number of infected devices is even higher. Cybercriminals often leak stolen data in the form of log files months or even years after the initial infection, and compromised credentials and other information continue to surface on the dark web over time. Therefore, the more time passes, the more infections from previous years we observe. We forecast the total number of devices infected with infostealer malware in 2024 to be between 20 million and 25 million, while for 2023, the estimate ranges between 18 million and 22 million,' says Sergey Shcherbel, an expert at Kaspersky Digital Footprint Intelligence. Beware of Redline, Risepro and Stealc stealers In 2024, Redline remained the most widespread infostealer, accounting for 34% of the total number of infections. The most significant surge in 2024 was in infections caused by Risepro, whose share of total infections increased from 1.4% in 2023 to almost 23% in 2024. 'RisePro is a growing threat. It was first discovered two years ago, but seems to be gaining momentum. The stealer primarily targets banking card details, passwords and cryptocurrency wallet data, and may be spreading under the guise of key generators, cracks for various software and game mods,' explains Shcherbel. Another rapidly growing stealer is Stealc, which first appeared in 2023 and increased its share from nearly 3% to 13%. In light of this growing infostealer threats, Kaspersky has launched a dedicated landing page to raise awareness of the issue and provide strategies for mitigating associated risks. Learn more in the report.
