Here's some news that we Linux Users, have not been waiting for. But, many of us expected to come along, at some point...

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Hand of Thief malware could be dangerous (if you install it)

By Jack Wallen in Linux and Open Source, August 16, 2013, 7:51 PM

Jack Wallen takes a look at the Hand of Thief trojan and what it means for the Linux community.

This past week marked one of the first times I've seen the media actually present a real "warning" to Linux users. That warning was about the new “Hand of Thief” trojan that targets Linux desktop systems to steal bank account information. What this trojan does is use a form grabber to steal login credentials of those using Internet banking. The trojan captures the URL, username, password, and timestamp of when you logged in. Once the information is captured, it's sent to a control server and then sold.
Skipping one down...

There are plenty of instances out there (this is especially true of Ubuntu), where you can simply add a PPA to apt-get and install an application without benefiting from the vetting process. This means that anyone can roll up an appealing software application (complete with Hand of Thief), create a repository, and trick people into installing the trojan. The caveat is that most Linux users are far more savvy than to just install random packages.
Or are they?
The Linux community has finally reached a point where caution will have to be applied. Once upon a time, I would randomly add a repository, based on a need I had, and install it with little thought to the consequences of what could happen. That time has long since passed. Now, if a package isn't found in the official repositories (or a known, safe, repository), I will not install said package. There are exceptions, of course. If I need to install a package from source, and I know the source is safe, I'll install. Outside of that, no way.
I've been using Linux for a long, long time. I never thought I'd see the day when I had to actually warn users of trojans such as Hand of Thief, but here we are. Of course, main distributions have the means to help protect you from such attacks (SELinux, repository/package signing, firewalls, etc), but that doesn't mean you can just blindly continue on as you always have. It's time to start being a bit more vigilant about how you use your Linux desktop. Here are some suggestions:

Do not install unsigned packages
Do not add unofficial repositories without investigating said repository
Keep your system up to date at all times
Keep all browser plugins up to date
If your distribution has SELinux, use it
Do not let others install software on your machines
Use solid passwords
If asked to enter root user (or sudo) password, always know why

The good news is that Hand of Thief must have the root (or sudo) password in order to install. If you don't enter the password, it can't add itself to your machine. That's the plus side... for now. It's only a matter of time, however, before someone figures out a way to get something as sinister as HoT onto your machine without you knowing it. I've said this before, and I'll say it again, any machine that's plugged into a network connection is vulnerable -- Windows, Mac, and even Linux.
Read More...
http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/linux-and-open-source/hand-of-thief-malware-could-be-dangerous-if-you-install-it/?ftag=TRE475558a&s_cid=e011&tag=nl.e011&ttag=e011

Update: (09-07-13)

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