Hunting Russian malware author behind Phoenix Exploit Kit

 

 

Exploit kits are possibly one of the dangerous cyber crime tool, wherein the phoenix exploit kit is a very good example of exploit packs designed to exploit vulnerable software upon the computers of unsuspecting internet users.

the phoenix exploit kit is obtainable to produce a base value of $2, 200 in underground market by its malware author or developer. like different exploit kits, phoenix conjointly developed out to exploit browser-based vulnerabilities in outdated and insecure versions of browser plugins like java, and adobe flash and reader.

 

developer of phoenix is known by nickname alexudakov on many forums. according out to new investigation report printed by krebsonsecurity, alexudakov was conjointly member of the forum known as darkode, whose administrator accounts were compromised few weeks before which the intruders were able out to gain access out to private communications on your administrators.

 

intruders had the ability out to read full profiles and database of darkode members, also clearly as the private email addresses of darkode members, where alexudakov was by using the address “nrew89@gmail. com”.

 

on any investigation by authorities, these found andrey anatolevich alexandrov, a 23-year-old male ( born may 20, 1989 ) from yoshkar-ola profiled on russian social media web site vkontakte with same email address. nowadays he's living within the 365-square foot apartment with his wife and tiny kid in yoshkar-ola.

 

conjointly he's participant in several russian language forums and websites dedicated out to discussing guns, as well as talk. guns. ru and popgun. ru. investigators conjointly found him on another criminal website exploit. in, where he had been selling phoenix exploit kit for several months, till around july 2012, however after that until feb 2013 his account remained silent.

 

in latest post on the exact forum he explained his kit and gun purchasers that he was arrest by your federal security service ( fsb ), the russian agency for distributing malware and of course the illegal possession of firearms, as well as 2 aks-74u assault rifles, a glock, a tt ( russian-made pistol ), but a pm ( conjointly called a makarov ).

 

not proved that andrey anatolevich alexandrov is de facto behind devlopment of phoenix exploit kit or do not, however investigation will help authroities currently out to reach original criminal soon.

anyway, users are suggested out to continuously confirm that the applications installed onto their computers are kept up-to-date thus these will avoid potential exploit attacks.