Be aware of infostealers and malware

As you may have seen in the news lately, over 30,000 passwords belonging to Australian customers of the Big Four banks are being shared online. This comes in the wake of recent attacks on superannuation funds where attackers used leaked passwords to gain access to member accounts. These attacks have been linked to malware known as “infostealers”, where login details were stolen directly from members' devices.

What is an infostealer?

Infostealers are a type of malicious software designed to harvest valuable data (such as passwords, credit card details, browser history and autofill information etc.) from peoples' devices. The captured data is then sent back to the attackers where it can be used to take over accounts, transfer funds or perform further illegal activity.

What do I need to do?

Protect yourself from malware by doing the below:

• Use strong passwords and use Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), where available
• Never reuse passwords for multiple accounts (use a separate password for each account)
• Use anti-virus software
• Perform regular software updates to ensure new threats are identified
• Avoid doing personal banking or entering sensitive information on shared devices, as these may be infected

ACU staff and students can use Sophos anti-virus on their personal devices for free. Find out how to install it in this Service Central article.