Security researchers from Arbor Networks have analyzed an interesting piece of malware dubbed Athena.
According to experts, Athena has been around for a few years. Developed by a malware author that uses the online moniker “_Stoner,” the first versions of the threat were IRC-based, but a HTTP-based variant was also released earlier this year.
Athena can be used for a wide range of tasks, including for launching distributed denial-of-service (DDOS) attacks, downloading other malware, and even stealing information from infected devices.
The latest version of Athena, 2.3.1, costs $100 (€75) for one build. An update costs $10 (€7.5). Those who want the malware author to help them set up the IRC from which the bot is controlled will have to pay an extra $15 (€11).
Additional details on Athena’s origins, capabilities and evolution are available on Arbor Network’s website.