Evolving Snake Keylogger Variant Targets Windows Users

A new and highly sophisticated variant of the Snake Keylogger malware has been identified by cybersecurity researchers at Fortinet.

This strain, responsible for over 280 million blocked infection attempts worldwide, is designed to steal sensitive user data, including credentials, browser information and clipboard activity.

The highest concentrations of infection have been reported in China, Turkey, Indonesia, Taiwan and Spain – though the threat remains global.

How Snake Keylogger Operates

According to a new advisory by Fortinet’s FortiGuard Labs, the malware operates in three main phases:

1. Distribution and proliferation: Distributes through phishing emails containing malicious links or attachments
2. Data collection: Captures keystrokes and extracts credentials from popular browsers like Chrome and Firefox
3. Data transmission: Sends stolen information to command-and-control servers via encrypted channels such as SMTP (email) and Telegram bots

The malware also uses advanced techniques to avoid detection, including process hollowing – where it injects malicious code into legitimate Windows processes – and persistence mechanisms, such as scripts dropped into the Windows Startup folder. Once embedded, it can operate undetected, logging sensitive data and exfiltrating it to remote servers.

Read more on preventing phishing-based malware attacks: With Phishing Getting Harder to Spot, How Can Users Stay Protected?

The Threat of Snake Keylogger

What makes this keylogger particularly dangerous is its use of obfuscation tools like AutoIt scripting to bypass antivirus defenses. The scripting language allows attackers to hide malicious payloads within seemingly benign files, complicating analysis and detection.

Snake Keylogger also actively targets browser-stored credentials, leveraging hooks and APIs to access login data, autofill details and even credit card information.

To mitigate the risk posed by keylogger malware, security experts recommend:

• Email caution: Avoiding opening unsolicited email attachments or clicking unknown links
• Updated security tools: Using antivirus software with behavior-based detection capabilities
• Regular patching: Keeping operating systems and software up to date

Additionally, researchers emphasize the importance of proactive defenses and user awareness to combat the continuous evolution of malware threats like Snake Keylogger.