The lure of keygens helps spread Gatak malware through the enterprise and healthcare industry
Malware spreads through various channels, and numerous methods are used to fool people into unwittingly installing it. In many cases, the promise of getting something for free -- naming expensive software -- is enough to trick a victim into infecting their own computer.
It's far from being a new tactic, and warnings have been issued to fans of torrenting for some time. Keygens (small programs that promise to provide unlock codes and product keys for big-name software titles) are being used to help spread the Gatak or Stegoloader Trojan. Something that is interesting about this malware campaign is that it is specifically targeting enterprise users, with a particular focus on the healthcare industry.
The software for which fake keygens have been created to help the proliferation of Gatak gives an idea of the type of user that is being targeted. Names such as SketchList3D, Siemans SIMATIC STEP 7, CadSoft Eagle Professional, PremiumSoft Navicat Premium and Manctl Skanect are hardly household names, but for companies looking to save a bit of money through the use of pirated software, these titles can be quite a lure.
