Trickbot is malware that can steal financial and personal data, and drop other malicious software, such as ransomware, onto infected systems. Microsoft has no evidence that the botnet ringleaders intended to seek to disrupt the election, Burt said. Criminals have already used Trickbot against a major health-care provider, Universal Health Services, whose systems were crippled by the ransomware known as Ryuk. Some of that software can be used to share election results, though that is not the company’s primary focus. The effort was timed to deprive botnet operators of the opportunity to rebuild their zombie army before the election, it said.

Source: Washington Post October 12, 2020 11:03 UTC