Review Article Open Access

A Security Concern in MS-Windows: Stealing User Information From Internet Browsers Using Faked Windows

Abstract

A simple method that might be used by malicious attackers for stealing usernames, passwords, credit card numbers or other valuable small pieces of information is described. Hidden processes running on Windows-based machines might create faked controls and place them on the browser exactly on top of the real controls of web pages such as on-line banking account login pages. Users might then type in their passwords or credit card numbers into the faked controls, allowing the malicious process to capture the data. Since spyware is a large and growing threat to internet users, it is not unlikely that such a technique will be used for stealing valuable information. An example based on Hotmail web-based email service is demonstrated, but this technique might be used for a variety of password-protected web services. The paper also discusses different approach of protection against the described attack.

Lior Shamir

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