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Malware scam appears to use GPS data to catch speeding Pennsylvania drivers

theverge.com

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Re: Malware scam appears to use GPS data to catch speeding Pennsylvania drivers

#11

Post by PixelB »

flashman wrote: post #5

This seems like a huge amount of effort to get malware onto a computer. While it seems technically plausible, the steps involved (getting a compromised app onto devices, harvesting contact and location data, waiting for a subset of the infected population to speed, then delivering more malware to them via email) makes me rather dubious.

It seems like after the initial program this type of scam doesn't require that much effort.. just let the programs run.

Also.. "waiting for a subset of the infected population to speed" I'm gonna go ahead and say that subset is about 99% of the population. Even if you don't speed, like most people do, there's plenty of areas for this malware to "catch" you, like when the speed limit drops unexpectedly or you are not sure of it when pulling on to a road.

Re: Malware scam appears to use GPS data to catch speeding Pennsylvania drivers

#12

Post by jcrawfordor »

I'm fairly skeptical of these stories, for the simple reason that this seems like far too much effort to go to just to deliver malware. If the scammer were trying to get people to pay the fines, that would make a lot more sense - it'd be over $100 a mark. But commodity malware infections are worth maybe a few dollars per host. Not much to use your clever multi-platform location-collecting scam on.

If these stories are accurate, I suspect the malware being delivered is pretty interesting. I think it's more likely that there's a way simpler explanation, though.

The scammers might just be sending out emails to people that they have an email address and physical address for (which could have come from any of a number of data dumps), with random times and random major streets near the physical addresses. A certain portion of the time, this will just happen to match up closely enough with someone's real driving for them to think it matches their memory. It only takes a few cases to get a police department to take note and then amplify it through local media.

Re: Malware scam appears to use GPS data to catch speeding Pennsylvania drivers

#13

Post by nathancahill »

mugatuq wrote: post #6
eli wrote: post #2

Just drivers in one locality? Sounds more like the police network has been compromised than GPS capable malware.

The malware could have some local vector, I highly doubt the police network would have that level of access *scared emoji.

I've consulted on software projects for police networks. Admin level access is easy to come by. There's a lot of trust in firewalls, once you're beyond that it can be fairly open.

Re: Malware scam appears to use GPS data to catch speeding Pennsylvania drivers

#14

Post by makomk »

flashman wrote: post #5

This seems like a huge amount of effort to get malware onto a computer. While it seems technically plausible, the steps involved (getting a compromised app onto devices, harvesting contact and location data, waiting for a subset of the infected population to speed, then delivering more malware to them via email) makes me rather dubious.

I'm not sure they'd need to get a compromised app on. Don't some mobile advertising networks collect GPS data and other personal information and allow advertisers to use it for targeting?

Re: Malware scam appears to use GPS data to catch speeding Pennsylvania drivers

#15

Post by benguild »

jcrawfordor wrote: post #12

I'm fairly skeptical of these stories, for the simple reason that this seems like far too much effort to go to just to deliver malware. If the scammer were trying to get people to pay the fines, that would make a lot more sense - it'd be over $100 a mark. But commodity malware infections are worth maybe a few dollars per host. Not much to use your clever multi-platform location-collecting scam on. If these stories ar…

That was my thinking as well. It's such a sophisticated application when there are so many easier targets.

Re: Malware scam appears to use GPS data to catch speeding Pennsylvania drivers

#16

Post by duskwuff »

makomk wrote: post #14
flashman wrote: post #5

This seems like a huge amount of effort to get malware onto a computer. While it seems technically plausible, the steps involved (getting a compromised app onto devices, harvesting contact and location data, waiting for a subset of the infected population to speed, then delivering more malware to them via email) makes me rather dubious.

I'm not sure they'd need to get a compromised app on. Don't some mobile advertising networks collect GPS data and other personal information and allow advertisers to use it for targeting?

Advertising networks probably (hopefully?!) wouldn't have the user's name and email address.

Re: Malware scam appears to use GPS data to catch speeding Pennsylvania drivers

#17

Post by 13of40 »

benguild wrote: post #15
jcrawfordor wrote: post #12

I'm fairly skeptical of these stories, for the simple reason that this seems like far too much effort to go to just to deliver malware. If the scammer were trying to get people to pay the fines, that would make a lot more sense - it'd be over $100 a mark. But commodity malware infections are worth maybe a few dollars per host. Not much to use your clever multi-platform location-collecting scam on. If these stories ar…

That was my thinking as well. It's such a sophisticated application when there are so many easier targets.

Unless it's either (a) a crazy person stalking some specific people he already has some information on, or (b) a campaign against specific people who are targeted for a hack. (I guess in either case the police should be able to connect the dots between them, but to paraphrase that Lebowski movie, I'm sure they're working in shifts.)

Re: Malware scam appears to use GPS data to catch speeding Pennsylvania drivers

#18

Post by ChrisDutrow »

jcrawfordor wrote: post #12

I'm fairly skeptical of these stories, for the simple reason that this seems like far too much effort to go to just to deliver malware. If the scammer were trying to get people to pay the fines, that would make a lot more sense - it'd be over $100 a mark. But commodity malware infections are worth maybe a few dollars per host. Not much to use your clever multi-platform location-collecting scam on. If these stories ar…

The primary objective might be to get them to pay the fine. But since they don't have an actual photograph of the license plate, they may have played malware at the license plate link as a secondary objective?

Re: Malware scam appears to use GPS data to catch speeding Pennsylvania drivers

#19

Post by asddddd »

jcrawfordor wrote: post #12

I'm fairly skeptical of these stories, for the simple reason that this seems like far too much effort to go to just to deliver malware. If the scammer were trying to get people to pay the fines, that would make a lot more sense - it'd be over $100 a mark. But commodity malware infections are worth maybe a few dollars per host. Not much to use your clever multi-platform location-collecting scam on. If these stories ar…

Looking at the linked police statement, it seems likely to be spear phishing targeted at a company in the area.

> A local corporation contacted the police department advising that an employee had received an email

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