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Trojan Hiding In Legitimate Security Software
John Vinson
Staff Writer
2011-03-03
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If one wanted to be clever, they could call this a "double trojan". The latest piece of malware discovered by Symantec could be a look into the next evolution in malicious software. What if trojans could hide themselves in actual legitimate software code?
 | | Trojan Hiding In Legitimate Security Software |  |
An obvious outcome would be the trojans would be nearly impossible to identify preemptively. Beyond the information being released as to what software was causing the trojan.
The trojan in the spotlight hid itself in a chinese developed security software called KingSoft WebShield. The malware is also believed to have been developed in China as well.
The implementation of the trojan is a simple process. All of the code is exactly the same as the KingSoft Webshield, only a couple of files were added to allow the trojan access to the infected computer.
Éamonn Young, a Symantec researcher explains exactly what the trojan is capable of, "Kingsoft WebShield has the ability to lock the home page to a specific domain as well as to redirect URLs based entirely on plain text configuration files. This means that a person with malicious intent can repackage it using malicious configuration files and use this as a home-made Trojan package."
The trojan itself isn't the true danger, as all it really does is provide an annoyance to users when browsing the internet. The danger doesn't lie with the trojan, but the tools it used get itself transferred to the computer.
The KingSoft WebShield works perfectly when downloaded, which makes it hard for users to find out what caused their recent bit of malware. This is where the true danger lies. Imagine if a more devastating malware was relayed through the trojan, and finding the solution was harder to discover due to how it's hidden.
The simplicity of the solution created by the KingSoft WebShield trojan could certainly inspire others to follow suit. Leading to an influx of legitimate security software codes to be breached. If we can't even trust our security softwares, the prospect of PC security certainly falters.
About the Author:
John Vinson is a writer for numerous newsletters, and tech related websites.
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