Qoogle JS-sniffer

The Qoogle JS-sniffer is part of a large group of Javascript sniffers, malware threats that are designed to collect computer users' online payment information whenever they carry out an online purchase. The Qoogle JS-sniffer carries out an attack that consists of collecting the victims' credit card information when they make a payment online. Threats like the Qoogle JS-sniffer infiltrate online retailers taking advantage of poor security protection, outdated plug-ins and other security vulnerabilities. Threats like the Qoogle JS-sniffer have numerous variants, typically targeting different payment platforms that are commonly used by online retailers. Threats like the Qoogle JS-sniffer will use domain names, scripts, and code that is designed to be very similar to analytics and ad servers as a way to make it less obvious for server administrators that an attack is being carried out on their device or platform.

Which Data can BE Affected by the Qoogle JS-sniffer Malware

The Qoogle JS-sniffer is designed to stay dormant on a device until a computer user is making a payment during checkout after a purchase has been carried out. Then, the Qoogle JS-sniffer will be triggered. The Qoogle JS-sniffer is loaded in a way similar to scripts associated with legitimate analytics, such as Google Analytics and Yahoo Web Analytics, and will intercept the computer users' payment information, copying it from the payment forms. The Qoogle JS-sniffer will collect the credit card numbers, verification codes, card dates, and other information entered by the victim into the payment form. This information is encrypted and sent by the Qoogle JS-sniffer to its Command and Control server. The Qoogle JS-sniffer will then become inactive again until another payment is carried out. Threats like the Qoogle JS-sniffer have been used to collect millions of computer users' financial details. These are often then sold in bulk on the Dark Web, where criminals can purchase them to wipe out victims' bank accounts or carry out a wide variety of credit card and banking fraud activities.

Detecting Threats Like the Qoogle JS-sniffer

If server administrators are not keeping a close eye on unauthorized communications from their sites, then threats like the Qoogle JS-sniffer can be very difficult to detect. The Qoogle JS-sniffer also will use domain names that look identical to each other, but use characters from alternate character sets to disguise their true identity. The Qoogle JS-sniffer's small size and the fact that it will use other compromised servers as part of the attack also contributes to threats like this one being difficult to detect and intercept. Once the presence of the Qoogle JS-sniffer has been detected, removing it is not difficult particularly, but it is essential that server administrators take proactive steps to prevent the Qoogle JS-sniffer attacks rather than reacting after victims' payment data has been compromised.

Threats Like the Qoogle JS-sniffer are Part of a Complex Criminal Ecosystem

There are often several different actors involved in attacks like the Qoogle JS-sniffer; the same people creating and developing threats like the Qoogle JS-sniffer are generally not the same ones distributing it or profiting from the attack. Threats like the Qoogle JS-sniffer are generally sold as a service or leased, and third parties will pay between several hundred to several thousand dollars to use threats like the Qoogle JS-sniffer in their attacks, depending on the size of the attack and the victim. The criminals developing the Qoogle JS-sniffer often will provide support, payment tracking, and other features, working together with criminals that carry out the attacks by infiltrating the targeted servers. Overall, there is a developed and complex market that includes the criminals creating threats like the Qoogle JS-sniffer, the ones distributing them, the ones handling payments, and the ones that will take the collected information and put it up for sale for other tacticmers to use. Because of this, dealing with threats like the Qoogle JS-sniffer is not a straightforward process and will require the cooperation of Website administrators, computer users, and security software developers, all working together to limit the reach of these attacks.