CyberGlossary

Malware

Banking Trojan

Also known as: E-banking trojan, Bankbot

Definition

Malware designed to steal online-banking credentials and authorize fraudulent transactions, typically through web injects, form grabbing, or overlays.

A banking trojan is a specialized strain of malware that targets financial applications and online-banking sessions. Once installed it hooks browsers, captures credentials, intercepts MFA codes, and injects fake fields or overlays into legitimate banking pages so that fraudulent transfers appear as user-initiated activity. Many variants act as modular platforms that also load info stealers, ransomware, or other payloads. Distribution is usually via phishing, malicious documents, or trojanized installers. Defences include reputation-based browser protection, anti-malware with behavioural detection, transaction-anomaly monitoring at banks, MFA bound to hardware keys, and isolating banking activity on dedicated, hardened devices.

Examples

  • Emotet, originally a banking trojan, later evolving into a loader for other crimeware.
  • TrickBot injecting fake login fields into corporate banking portals.

Related terms