Brazilian payment malware may have skimmed up to $4 billion

Banking malware built to misdirect a Brazilian form of bank payment method targeted $3.75 billion of transactions over the past two years – and the scale of the attack may have eclipsed any single previous instance of electronic theft, according to the New York Times.

The attacks targeted Boleto Bancario – known as Boletos – a payment method popular in Brazil which allowed customers to pay bills from electricity to mortgages using bills issued online payable via banks and supermarkets. The Register reports that 18% of bills paid in Brazil are via Boletos.

Brazilian payment malware may have skimmed up to $4 billion