ZeusZbot

ZeusZbot is a banking Trojan associated with the Zeus/Zbot family of malware. It is a modular threat designed to steal financial credentials by intercepting browser communications, performing man-in-the-browser activities, and harvesting sensitive data from compromised systems. The name ZeusZbot is used in security reports to designate a variant with features that align with the Zeus lineage.

ZeusZbot operates as a Trojan that, once active, can inject modules into running processes, hook into browser sessions, and communicate with a remote command-and-control server. Core capabilities include keylogging, form grabbing, web injects to alter online banking pages, remote control, and data exfiltration. It commonly uses encrypted communications, obfuscation, and modular payloads that can be updated or extended.

Infection and operation: It is typically distributed via phishing emails with malicious attachments, exploit kits, or drive-by downloads. After installation, it persists through registry keys or services and can function as a bot in a wider network. The operator can issue commands, download additional modules, or deploy updates; it may also fetch configuration data from the C2.

Impact and history: Zeus/Zbot variants have been associated with numerous bank fraud incidents globally, targeting financial institutions and consumers. ZeusZbot has appeared in security feeds as one such variant observed during campaigns in the 2010s, and while exposure has declined with improved defenses, descendants and related families remain active.

Defense and mitigation: Protect endpoints with up-to-date antivirus and endpoint detection tools, apply browser and OS hardening, enable multi-factor authentication, monitor for suspicious network activity and anomalous browser behavior, and educate users about phishing and social engineering.