The impact of source code leaks on the malware development landscape

So, what is the impact of source code leaks on popular malware?

Let’s continue to look at the preceding examples and find out what key role they played in the history of malware development as a result of source code leaks.

Zeus

Let’s start with the Zeus banking Trojan. As I wrote earlier, the leak of the Zeus Trojan’s source code in 2011 led to the widespread proliferation of variants and derivatives in the cybercriminal underground. With access to the source code, malicious actors could modify and customize the malware to suit their specific objectives and targets. This resulted in a surge of Zeus-based malware campaigns.

One of the notable features of the Zeus source code was its use of encryption and obfuscation techniques to conceal malicious activities and evade detection by security defenses. This marked a shift in malware development toward more sophisticated tactics for stealth...