US charges dozens in global cybercrime network

Zeus Trojan used to steal millions from US bank accounts

PTI | October 1, 2010



More than 60 people in an eastern European-based cybercrime network were charged in the United States for using computer viruses to infiltrate US bank accounts, prosecutors have said. Federal prosecutors in New York said the defendants were "involved in a global cybercrime scheme that used the Zeus Trojan and other Internet viruses to steal millions of dollars from US bank accounts." The dozens of suspects were charged with crimes including bank fraud and identity theft in a scheme that allegedly moved at least USD 3 million to hundreds of accounts set up by accomplices. The charges followed Tuesday's arrests of 19 people in Britain on computer crimes charges and were part of "a sweeping and coordinated effort to combat the 21st century's variation on traditional bank robbery," US Attorney Preet Bharara said in New York. Victims included five banks and dozens of individual and business account holders, officials said. "As today's (Sep 30) arrests show, the modern, high-tech bank heist does not require a gun, a mask, a note, or a getaway car. It requires only the Internet and ingenuity. And it can be accomplished in the blink of an eye, with just a click of the mouse -- at a distance of thousands of miles," he said. The alleged crime ring had hackers in eastern Europe using a "malicious computer programme to obtain access to the bank accounts of small and mid-sized businesses and municipal entities in the United States," according to the criminal complaints. Zeus virus infect computers when the user unwittingly clicks on a link or attachment in a seemingly legitimate email. "Once installed, the Zeus Trojan allows computer hackers to secretly monitor the victim's computer activity, recording, among other things, the victim's bank account numbers, passwords, and authentication information," the complaint said.

Comments

 

Other News

The 7% growth problem: Why the next 7% will be harder

India has become accustomed to hearing the 7% growth number. It is now less a milestone than an expectation. Yet the paradox is becoming clearer: maintaining 7% growth may be considerably harder than achieving it once. India’s real GDP grew 7.7% in FY2025–26, following growth of 6.5% in FY202

The Constitution cannot be altered: Justice Abhay Oka

Justice Abhay Oka, who retired from the Supreme Court in May 2025, has said that the Constitution of India cannot be altered. Explaining the landmark Kesavananda Bharati judgment (1973) on the basic structure of the Constitution, he said, “This is one judgment that has saved democracy in India.&rdq

How the flora and fauna evolved in the Indian subcontinent

Mammals of India  By A.J.T. Johnsingh and P.O. Nameer HarperCollins India in association with Bombay Natural History Society  

India`s renewable race is moving beyond megawatts

When Shell bought Sprng Energy in 2022, India`s renewable energy market appeared to offer precisely what global energy majors were seeking: scale, growth and a place in one of the world`s largest energy transitions. Four years later, Shell is selling the same business to Aditya Birla Group for an enterpris

Nepal Floods: India keeps close watch on the situation

India`s central government has been keeping a close watch on the situation arising out of the flash flood in Nepal on Wednesday. Union home minister Amit Shah spoke with the chief ministers of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, the two states that share the border with Nepal, regarding the disaster

UPI completes 10 years of digital payments revolution

The Unified Payments Interface (UPI), launched on August 25, 2016 by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) under the regulatory oversight of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), has completed 10 years of transforming digital payments in India. UPI has emerged as the backbone of India’s digi

Upcoming Conferences



-->

Archives

Current Issue

Opinion

Facebook Twitter Google Plus Linkedin Subscribe Newsletter

Twitter