Cyber-Crooks Develop Malware Testing Tools

Cyber-crooks are looking for ways to test their creations before distributing them. An investigation conducted by Panda Security has shown that cyber-crooks are collaborating on different forums and pages to develop test-tools that replicate the scans of some of the leading security solutions. This allows hackers to check their creations will be undetected before launching them.

The tool is very similar to Hispasec’s legitimate ‘Virus Total’ tool. The increasing interest in these new tools coincides with the removal of the ‘do not distribute the sample’ option in ‘Virus Total’ which allowed files to be scanned without sending the sample to security companies.

These tools represent another piece of the new malware dynamic, in which cyber-crooks no longer seek to cause widespread alerts and make the headlines, but to go unnoticed. They therefore want to check their creations are undetected by companies before launching them.

This recent increase of malware collaboration poses an active threat to security systems. Participating in such forums, exchanging knowledge and testing new malware ideas helps crooks facilitate the development of more effective malware. It is important, therefore, to have an up-to-date security measures in place for full protection.