New Citadel trojan costs more, but allows for easier updates
Code writers behind the latest Citadel trojan, dubbed the "Rain Edition," have added advanced features and significantly boosted the price tag of the malware.
The new iteration includes a feature, called "Dynamic Config," which allows botmasters easier access to compromised victims' machines by updating the malware's configuration file immediately. Configuration files are used by owners of command-and-control servers to communicate malicious instructions to hacked PCs under their control.
The first version of Citadel, a variant of banking trojan Zeus, entered the black market in January at cost of $2,399, but now commands a fee that is 41 percent higher – $3,391 for the latest, or sixth, Citadel release. Limor Kessem, technical lead and fraud expert at RSA, told SCMagazine.com on Thrusday that the “dynamic config” feature exemplifies just how advanced Citadel programmers are. RSA published a blog post Thursday divulging the details of the latest software released by the malware's authors.