Web skimmer

Web skimmer, also known as an e-skimmer or form grabber, is a malicious type of software designed to extract personal sensitive data, like passwords or credit card numbers, from web forms. Web skimmers can be used to steal information from online shopping sites, password storage services, or any other website that collects sensitive information.

Sophisticated web skimmers are even capable of disguising requests for sensitive data by making them look like normal page requests or by coating the malicious code around other legitimate code. These skimmers can also hide within JavaScript files to help cover their tracks.

Web skimmers are used by cybercriminals to gain access to the personal data of unsuspecting users. Once a web skimmer has stolen the sensitive data, it is often sold on the dark web. Cybercriminals can then use this data to commit fraud, such as identity theft, or to gain access to bank accounts.

Web skimmers can also be used to launch distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks, which can cause serious disruptions to websites and online services.

To protect yourself from web skimmers, it’s important to take precautions when entering sensitive information on websites. Use two-factor authentication (2FA) to make it harder for anyone to access your accounts without your permission. Additionally, you should only access websites whose URLs begin with “HTTPs”, as these sites are encrypted and more secure than those with “HTTP”. Finally, ensure that your operating system and other software are regularly patched and updated to prevent malicious code from being installed on your device.