Do you know what Ursnif spam is?
Beware of Ursnif spam. It can be highly misleading and believable, and if you fall for the scam, you could end up losing your money. That is because Ursnif – the infection that is spread using this spam – is a banking Trojan that was created for the sole purpose of recording and transmitting online banking information. For example, if the infection records your login credentials to virtual bank accounts, remote attackers could soon take over and perform theft. If they collect personally identifiable information along with credit card numbers, expiration dates, and similar data, they could impersonate you and use your identity to perform unauthorized purchases. If you do not delete Ursnif spam immediately, and, instead, you open the message and let the Trojan in, your security could be jeopardized. Of course, this is something you want to avoid at all cost. Continue reading, and you will learn how to protect yourself, as well as how to remove Ursnif.
Whether you know it as Ursnif, DreamBot, or Gozi, you are dealing with the same infection. However, different versions, possibly controlled by different parties, exist. This is why this Trojan can be quite unpredictable, and why there are so many different distribution methods. The Trojan could be spread by other infections or via bundled downloaders, but, in most cases, it is spread using exploit kits and spam emails. The infamous RIG exploit kit has been found to distribute the Trojan, and if your system or the software installed on it is not up-to-date, vulnerabilities that could be exploited by RIG are bound to exist. So, if you want to keep the infection away, the first thing you should do is update your system. Next, you want to install reliable security software, but even that might be unable to protect you against Ursnif spam. It is your responsibility to check the emails you receive and to handle them appropriately. Of course, you must remove Ursnif spam, but how are you supposed to recognize it?
It is not always difficult to spot spam. Usually, spam emails do not make any sense. For example, they ask to confirm a flight you never booked, or ask to confirm a password, which is always a scam. However, misleading subject lines and the addresses themselves can confuse you, and so you must be cautious. Only trust emails that are sent by familiar senders. If you are dealing with unfamiliar senders, be extra cautious about links and file attachments that are introduced to you. When it comes to Ursnif spam, links and attachments are always used. One variant of the Trojan was found to send corrupted DOC files with macros to users in Australia, Canada, Italy, Poland, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the US. The file, allegedly, represented invoice, and it was enough to open the file and enable macros for the Trojan to slip in. In a more sophisticated attack, schemers employed the credentials of the Federal Court of Australia to trick users into opening a corrupted link that introduced them to the Trojan’s launcher in a .zip file. The message informed that the user was expected to show up for court.
Hopefully, you recognize and remove Ursnif spam right away. If you have been tricked into opening the email and helping the Trojan to execute, you need to figure out how to eliminate it as soon as possible, before your financial security is jeopardized. Remember, Ursnif is a banking Trojan. While we have created a guide that explains how to eliminate this threat manually, we strongly recommend using the help of anti-malware software. It will secure your system to keep malicious threats away, and it will delete the malicious Trojan automatically.
Delete Ursnif spam
- Delete the Trojan’s malicious {unknown name}.exe file. Could be found in these directories:
- %APPDATA%\
- %LOCALAPPDATA%\[unknown name folder]\
- %WINDIR%
- %WINDIR%\system32\
- Empty Recycle Bin and then quickly run a full system scan to check if the system is 100% clean.
In non-techie terms:
If you are tricked into opening files or links sent to you via Ursnif spam, you can be tricked into executing the malicious Ursnif banking Trojan. This infection is extremely dangerous for your virtual security because it might obtain personal information and login credentials. Spam emails with misleading messages are used to spread the infection in most cases, but researchers remind that exploit kits can be used to infect vulnerable systems too. If you do not want your virtual security to be breached in the future, it is very important that you secure it properly, and we encourage you to install anti-malware software. It will automatically delete the Trojan and reinforce full protection. Of course, if the Trojan was found, do not forget to contact your bank for further assistance. As for spam, remove Ursnif spam immediately if you receive it again.