£20m Stolen From UK Bank Accounts Thanks To Malware

According to The National Crime Agency, £20m has been stolen from UK bank accounts thanks to malware hidden on users machines, stealing their online banking details.

Online banking

The malware, known as Dridex has been developed to harvest banking details, which are then used by fraudsters to move money in to their accounts. The malware often gets on to PCs from dodgy email attachments.

Users can protect themselves against the Dridex malware by ensuring their anti-virus software is up to date. If you don’t have any anti-virus software, get some! You can also check for malware using one of the following tools:

Mike Hulett, Head of Operations at the NCA’s National Cyber Crime Unit (NCCU) said:

“This is a particularly virulent form of malware and we have been working with our international law enforcement partners, as well as key partners from industry, to mitigate the damage it causes. Our investigation is ongoing and we expect further arrests to made. Those who commit cybercrime are very often highly skilled and can be operating from different countries and continents. They can and will deploy new malware and we, along with our partners, are alive to this threat and are constantly devising new approaches to tackle cybercrime.”

Mr Hullett continued: “We urge all internet users to take action and update your operating system. Ensure you have up to date security software and think twice before clicking on links or attachments in unsolicited emails”.

If you think you may have lost money to Dridex, you should contact Action Fraud.



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