PASSTEAL

PASSTEAL is a family of spyware Trojans that use separate password recovery applications to steal the passwords and login-related data for your personal accounts. PASSTEAL variants may use several different types of applications and attacks for this goal and can target both specific applications and general web browser usage. Because PASSTEAL spyware is designed to avoid detection and will attempt to resist being removed, SpywareRemove.com malware analysts strongly encourage you to use robust anti-malware products to delete any PASSTEAL infection. Afterward, you also should consider changing any passwords that may have been compromised by PASSTEAL.

When Good Programs Go Bad with Some Help from PASSTEAL

Password recovery programs, although theoretical benign tools that can be used to retrieve forgotten passwords, also may be exploited by criminals – particularly when their functions are coordinated by malicious PASSTEAL Trojans. Unlike keyloggers, man-in-the-browser attacks and other spyware functions that attempt to steal general data, attacks from PASSTEAL usually are specific to particular targets that the password recovery app is designed to target.

Programs that SpywareRemove.com malware experts have found to be exceptionally vulnerable to PASSTEAL attacks include:

• Web browsers such as Internet Explorer, Opera and Chrome.
• Instant messengers like YIM or Skype.
• E-mail clients such as Outlook.

Although SpywareRemove.com malware researchers haven't seen any significant distribution of PASSTEAL Trojans that target bank account sites specifically, password recovery applications that focus on web browsers may be able to access saved passwords from such websites.

These attacks don't have set symptoms that would make a PASSTEAL infection obvious to sight. However, suitable anti-malware programs should be able to detect activity from variants of PASSTEAL and their related password recovery apps.

How to Prevent Your PC from Being the Next Break-in Target for PASSTEAL

PASSTEAL attacks can originate from a variety of sources, but SpywareRemove.com malware research team has noticed a surge in PASSTEAL Trojans that are distributed through illegal software downloads (AKA 'warez'). Torrenting networks and sites that offer illegal versions of purchasable software – as well as key generators and other cracks – are both rich sources of PASSTEAL infections. Naturally, while it's discouraged for you to pirate software in a general sense, the possibility of getting a PASSTEAL infection makes it even more important that you obey the law (or have appropriate anti-malware protection in place for when you choose to break it).

In some cases, PASSTEAL Trojans can circumvent SSL protection and other data security measures that are used by sites such as Paypal and Amazon. Under no circumstances should you consider your PC safe from PASSTEAL due to the presence of general security features, since many password recovery apps are designed with evading those features in mind.

While PASSTEAL infections are difficult to detect, SpywareRemove.com malware experts haven't experienced any unusual resistance in detecting and deleting PASSTEAL Trojans with good anti-malware software.