FBI, Law Enforcement in Other Countries Arrest Over 100 in Blackshade Remote Administration Tool Crackdown

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The FBI has made more than a hundred arrests in a worldwide hacking crackdown.

More than 100 people worldwide have been arrested following an FBI-led crackdown on hackers using a “remote administration tool” called Blackshades.

Raids took place in more than a dozen countries, especially in Europe, according to officials who spoke to Time magazine. Law enforcement agencies in Europe, Asia, Australia and North America were cooperated with the FBI. According to the UK’s National Crime Agency, 17 suspects were arrested were based in Britain.

Known as a RAT (Remote Administration Tool) or backdoor, the Blackshades administration tool allows attackers to remotely seize control of a users’ computer, turning on webcams, executing keystroke capturing, stealing passwords and personal information, and launching further attacks on other computers. The software itself is not illegal, and can be bought for as little as $40.
Installing Blackshades on a victim’s computer without their knowledge is against the law in most countries.

A victim usually is duped into installing the RAT while falling victim to a fake installation or fake security alert and procedure. Some procedures may pretend to be a necessary download to view view a video. Victims are also exposed via email, P2P file sharing software, and Internet downloads. They are usually disguised as a legitimate program or file. Sometimes a file known as a server file will display a fake error message when opened, to make it seem like it didn’t open. The fake dialog may dupe the victim into downloading the RAT Blackshade and causing its installation. Some executions will also kill antivirus and firewall software.

US prosectors are expected to announce more information at a press conference later today in New York.

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