The Clampi virus, a sophisticated piece of malware that targets sensitive financial data, is thought to be responsible for the loss of $350,000 from the accounts of Crystal Lake elementary school district 47.This apparent attack, the latest in a series of incidents targeting public school bank accounts, was perpetrated sometime before June 29th, when a district employee noticed the losses. The FBI has since confirmed that Crystal Lake district 47 is one of three Chicago-area school districts targeted, along with Sycamore district 427 and one district that was not identified.
The FBI has further confirmed that the three incidents are now part of a nation-wide investigation into Clampi, which is believed to be responsible for the theft of millions of dollars from banks and mid-sized businesses. Clampi's recent shift toward the targeting of school accounts is the latest in a long string of cyber crimes.
The Clampi virus is unusual among computer Trojans in that it can propagate itself across local networks automatically. It also uses several advanced techniques to conceal itself from anti-virus scanners and removal programs.
