Boleto

Posted: August 15, 2014

Threat Metric

The Threat Meter is a malware assessment that SpywareRemove.com's research team is able to give every identifiable malware threat. Our Threat Meter includes several criteria based off of specific malware threats to value their severity, reach and volume. The Threat Meter is able to give you a numerical breakdown of each threat's initial Threat Level, Detection Count, Volume Count, Trend Path and Percentage Impact. The overall ranking of each threat in the Threat Meter is a basic breakdown of how all threats are ranked within our own extensive malware database. The scoring for each specific malware threat can be easily compared to other emerging threats to draw a contrast in its particular severity. The Threat Meter is a useful tool in the endeavor of seeking a solution to remove a threat or pursue additional analytical research for all types of computer users.

The following fields listed on the Threat Meter containing a specific value, are explained in detail below:

Threat Level: The threat level scale goes from 1 to 10 where 10 is the highest level of severity and 1 is the lowest level of severity. Each specific level is relative to the threat's consistent assessed behaviors collected from SpyHunter's risk assessment model.

Detection Count: The collective number of confirmed and suspected cases of a particular malware threat. The detection count is calculated from infected PCs retrieved from diagnostic and scan log reports generated by SpyHunter.

Volume Count: Similar to the detection count, the Volume Count is specifically based on the number of confirmed and suspected threats infecting systems on a daily basis. High volume counts usually represent a popular threat but may or may not have infected a large number of systems. High detection count threats could lay dormant and have a low volume count. Criteria for Volume Count is relative to a daily detection count.

Trend Path: The Trend Path, utilizing an up arrow, down arrow or equal symbol, represents the level of recent movement of a particular threat. Up arrows represent an increase, down arrows represent a decline and the equal symbol represent no change to a threat's recent movement.

% Impact (Last 7 Days): This demonstrates a 7-day period change in the frequency of a malware threat infecting PCs. The percentage impact correlates directly to the current Trend Path to determine a rise or decline in the percentage.

Ranking:	7,905
Threat Level:	2/10
Infected PCs:	1,021

First Seen:	August 15, 2014
Last Seen:	October 14, 2023
OS(es) Affected:	Windows

Boleto may refer to either a method of payment used in Brazil or a banking Trojan that redirects money transfers based on that payment method. Also, referred to as Eupudus, the Boleto malware or simply Bolware, the Boleto Trojans use browser-based attacks that may trigger without symptoms and include a range of structural defenses against detection by standardized anti-malware utilities. While originating in 2012, the Boleto malware still is considered a recent and well-updated threat, and malware researchers strongly advise Boleto users to take appropriate precautions to protect their PC from Boleto or even remove Boleto infections, as required.

The Invisible Hand of Crime Between Your Money and Boleto

The Boleto malware is not a new thing, but the continuing development of a prominent botnet has led to the PC security industry's increased interest in combating Boleto – just as the Boleto Trojans, in turn, use encryption, non-standard executable file types and data compression to avoid being identified. The Boleto malware uses attacks reminiscent of Trojan Zeus and other banking Trojans, and modify the details of financial transactions based on the Brazilian Boleto system (a form of money order) without showing symptoms that would make its attacks immediately obvious. Only Windows-based PCs are confirmed for vulnerability to this Boleto malware, although malware researchers have not found any additional limitations on it based on the brand of Web browser in use.

Boleto malware uses a botnet, or a network of compromised machines that may receive and act on threatening, hidden instructions from other servers. Such backdoor vulnerabilities also may be exploited to install other threats in addition to a Boleto Trojan, and most often will be able to ignore firewalls and other forms of network security. The Boleto malware's use of 32-bit encryption and data compression also make it important that you update your anti-malware tools to allow them to detect Boleto-based threats, which may be unidentifiable otherwise.

Keeping Your Computer out of the Thousands-Strong Boleto Botnet

With almost five hundred thousand estimated PCs infected by the Boleto Trojans, it behooves any frequent Boleto user to take standard precautions against common infection vectors that could compromise their PCs. Mislabeled e-mail attachments, disguised social network-based links and downloads distributed throughout software piracy sources are some of the common means of threat distribution. For the moment, the Boleto malware only is applicable to Brazilian residents, although similar banking Trojans utilizing the same methods for different types of transactions have been seen throughout the world – with Keylogger Zeus, of course, as a premiere example.

Symptoms of the Boleto Trojans, like those of most banking Trojans, are highly limited, although you may be able to notice some minor discrepancies in the behavior of your Web browser or relevant network security programs. When preventative defenses fail, malware experts encourage using anti-malware products to delete the Boleto Trojans before they can redirect money transfers to fraudulent recipients. If the latter already has occurred, you also should contact your bank to receive further advice on how to handle the unauthorized use of your funds.

Boleto

Threat Metric

The Invisible Hand of Crime Between Your Money and Boleto

Keeping Your Computer out of the Thousands-Strong Boleto Botnet

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