IBM security researchers have spotted an increase in mobile malware competition on underground markets over price points, features, and overall quality,
In one instance, researchers saw an emergence of competitors when the author of the GM Bot, one of the longest standing overlay malware offerings on the Russian-speaking underground market, tripled the price from $5,000 to $15,000 after releasing a new version in March 2016, IBM Executive Security Advisor Limor Kessem said in an April 28 security post.
The new price point was considered expensive and created an opportunity for vendors and developers to compete with their own versions of malware with lower-cost alternatives and more sophisticated offerings.
Researchers spotted three alternatives, Cron Bot, KNL Bot, and Bilal Bot actively being sold in underground market for prices ranging from $3,000 to $6,000, all of which were marketed by their vendors as having overlay screen capabilities and data theft ability, according to the post.
Most recently, researchers spotted the emergence of the malware-as-a-service Cron Bot, which first appeared April 1, being rented out for between $4,000 and $7,000 per month. Its authors claim that it brings sophisticated malicious options similar to those of PC Trojans to the Android platform, the post said.
Read more Researchers spot mobile malware competition on the black market
In one instance, researchers saw an emergence of competitors when the author of the GM Bot, one of the longest standing overlay malware offerings on the Russian-speaking underground market, tripled the price from $5,000 to $15,000 after releasing a new version in March 2016, IBM Executive Security Advisor Limor Kessem said in an April 28 security post.
The new price point was considered expensive and created an opportunity for vendors and developers to compete with their own versions of malware with lower-cost alternatives and more sophisticated offerings.
Researchers spotted three alternatives, Cron Bot, KNL Bot, and Bilal Bot actively being sold in underground market for prices ranging from $3,000 to $6,000, all of which were marketed by their vendors as having overlay screen capabilities and data theft ability, according to the post.
Most recently, researchers spotted the emergence of the malware-as-a-service Cron Bot, which first appeared April 1, being rented out for between $4,000 and $7,000 per month. Its authors claim that it brings sophisticated malicious options similar to those of PC Trojans to the Android platform, the post said.
Read more Researchers spot mobile malware competition on the black market
