430,000 people hit with financial malware

Financial malware, that is malware that targets finances, cryptocurrencies and web-money services, has increased by 7% from the same period last year, according to new research from Kaspersky.
New research finds that 430,000 users faced this issue in the first half of 2019. Of this, more than a third (30.9%) were corporate users, which is double the figure discovered in the first half of 2018 (15.3%).
Financial malware, commonly known as banking Trojans, is aimed at stealing finances and financial data, as well as providing threat actors with access to users and financial organisations assets and machines, Kaspersky says.
According to the company, these threats have always occupied a significant part of a threat landscape, as finance is the most common motivation for cybercriminals and fraudsters.
Kaspersky data on new samples of these threats highlight that malware aimed at stealing funds is active and dangerous, especially when it comes to corporate environments.
This is due to the fact that most corporate networks usually rely on connected devices, and if one is compromised then the whole entity may be under threat.
According to the research, typical attack vectors for malware are spam emails and phishing web pages. Web pages generally appear to be legitimate websites, but are created by threat actors in an attempt to steal credentials, bank card details or other types of sensitive information, Kaspersky says.
According to the report, during the first half of 2019, more than 339,000 phishing attacks from web pages disguised as landing pages of large banks have been detected.
The research also identified the most popular banking Trojan families that were used to attack corporate users.
Four-in-ten (40%) financial threats on corporate users came from the RTM banking Trojan – one of the most dangerous types of banking malware for businesses in 2018 Kaspersky says.
RTM is followed by the Emotet banking Trojan at 15%. This threat can be particularly damaging as once it gets inside the entity’s network perimeter, it can self-distribute through vulnerabilities in unpatched devices and then download extra threats onto the victim’s device, Kaspersky says.
Trickster banking Trojan is the top three identified malware, with 12% of discovered threats.
For private users, the situation was found to be different. The list of malware that attempted to attack them is topped by Zbot malware (26%), which steals credentials with the option of remote control by threat actors, followed by RTM and Emotet.
In 2018 RTM was almost entirely aimed at organisations, while figures from the first half of 2019 show that this malware is now reaching a significant share of ordinary, domestic users, according to Kaspersky.
Kaspersky security researcher Oleg Kupreev says, “We expect to see a rise in the number of attacked users in the second half of 2019. Usually, we see a rise in malicious activity after the holiday season, when people are using their devices less than usual and therefore are less likely to fall a victim to threat actors.”
“We urge everyone to be extra careful with all banking and finance-related operations that they perform online and remain vigilant,” says Kupreev.
To protect your business from financial malware, Kaspersky security specialists advise introducing cybersecurity awareness training for employees, installing the latest updates and patches for all software, forbidding the installation of programs from unknown sources, implement EDR solutions for endpoint level detection and remediation, and finally integrating Threat Intelligence into your SIEM and security controls in order to access the most relevant and up-to-date threat data.
On education, Kaspersky says it is important to train particularly those who are responsible for accounting and teach them how to distinguish phishing attacks. For instance, do not open attachments or click on links from unknown or suspicious addresses.
Kaspersky recommends private users always install security updates as soon as possible, do not install software from unknown sources, and use a reliable security solution.

Latest Jobs
-
- Account Director | Cyber Security Consulting | UK - South East
- London
- N/A
-
Account Director | Cyber Security Consulting - Financial Services | UK - South East. New Role due to Growth We are looking for an experienced Account Director to develop and expand existing relationships across the financial services sector, working with investment firms, asset managers, private equity groups and strategic partners to deliver intelligent cyber consulting and a bespoke Cyber product offerings. You will act as a trusted advisor, helping organisations strengthen digital resilience, manage third-party and regulatory risk and adopt a proactive approach to cyber assurance. Key Responsibilities Manage a defined portfolio of financial clients, understanding business priorities and aligning tailored cyber solutions. Drive new client engagement while nurturing existing partnerships through a consultative, long-term approach. Present the benefits of advanced cyber services including threat intelligence, vulnerability management, incident readiness, and continuous risk monitoring. Collaborate with technical and delivery teams to ensure smooth engagement from proposal through to implementation and ongoing support. Prepare proposals, negotiate commercial terms, and clearly articulate value and business outcomes. Build trusted relationships at senior and board level. Ideal Profile Strong background in cybersecurity, consulting, or risk management within financial services. Skilled communicator with proven success managing and growing key accounts. Able to translate complex technical insight into commercial and strategic value for clients. Confident engaging with senior stakeholders and decision makers. Please note: Sponsorship is not available.
-
- SOC Analyst- Level 2- Hybrid Greater London
- London
- N/A
-
SOC Analyst- Level 2- Hybrid Greater London New opportunity created through continued growth. We’re looking for a SOC Analyst (Level 2) to strengthen a growing managed security team. You’ll work hands-on with Microsoft Sentinel and Defender XDR, investigating alerts, responding to incidents, and helping improve how clients stay protected. This role is ideal for someone who enjoys unravelling security events, thinking critically under pressure, and making a real difference day to day. What you’ll do · Investigate and respond to security activity across SIEM and endpoint tools · Analyse network and log data to uncover real threats · Support automation initiatives to streamline response processes · Help maintain visibility, data flow, and performance across SOC platforms What you’ll need · Practical experience using Microsoft Sentinel and Defender XDR · Confident working with KQL or similar query languages · Understanding of attacker tactics and response techniques · SC-200 certifications would be nice. · Experience supporting multiple customer environments Please note: Sponsorship is not available.
-
- Senior SOC Engineer - UK - New role due to growth
- London
- N/A
-
Senior SOC Engineer – New role due to growth We are hiring a Senior SOC Engineer to take the lead across security operations for a growing managed service. You will lead detection, response and onboarding activity across multiple clients, helping shape how the SOC evolves. Expect variety; from fine-tuning alerts and threat hunting to supporting customers and mentoring junior analysts. What you’ll bring · Strong experience across SIEM, EDR, and threat detection tools · Confident working with customers in a managed service environment · Skilled in scripting or query languages such as KQL or PowerShell · Knowledge of frameworks like NIST, ISO27001, MITRE ATT&CK · Calm communicator with a problem-solving mindset · Experience with Azure Lighthouse or delegated access models · Prior involvement in automation or SOC improvement projects Location: South East England- Hybrid role Please note: Sponsorship cannot be offered now or in the future.
-
- SENIOR Cyber Risk Consultant. Cyber Risk consultancy - the right way. UK. Hybrid - Remote first
- United Kingdom
- N/A
-
Senior Cyber Risk Consultant needed. New position due to growth Seeking a passionate Cyber Security Risk Consultant who enjoys helping clients make a different to their business. Dedicated training budgets, Unlimited holiday structured career path, Work life balance guaranteed Cyber Risk consultancy done the right way. A successful individual will have experience working with clients to identify business cyber security risk. This is a remote first opportunity which means you will spend the majority of your time working remotely. You will however spend some time meeting clients as well as meeting up with the team on a monthly basis.. Some of the nice to have certifications. CRISC, ISO27001 Lead implementer, CISA, CISM, CISSP Unable to offer Visa sponsorship now or in the future.