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Kaspersky reported that attackers physically entered bank premises and connected devices to local networks in a series of incidents it called “DarkVishnya.” The firm said it investigated attacks from 2017–2018 affecting at least eight Eastern European banks, with damage estimated in the tens of millions of dollars—not a precise published total.
What was DarkVishnya?
“DarkVishnya” was Kaspersky’s name for the incidents described in its report published on 6 December 2018. The report concerns investigations of bank cybertheft incidents from 2017–2018, not a claim about an active campaign today. Kaspersky said at least eight Eastern European banks were targeted and estimated the damage in the tens of millions of dollars. It did not publish a precise total or a bank-by-bank loss breakdown. Read Kaspersky’s report.
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How did attackers get onto bank networks?
Kaspersky’s account begins with physical access, rather than an initial intrusion over the internet: an intruder entered a bank building and connected a device to the local network. The person could pose as a courier or job seeker. Incidents involved central or regional offices, including offices in another country.
The planted device gave attackers a foothold they could access remotely. The report describes a progression from connecting the device, to exploring the network, to trying to reach payment-related systems and retain access.
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Which devices did Kaspersky identify?
Kaspersky reported three kinds of equipment. It did not provide a controlled comparison of their effectiveness or concealability.
| Device category | Form factor | Reported role |
|---|---|---|
| Netbook or inexpensive laptop | Small computer | Connected to the bank network as a foothold |
| Raspberry Pi | Small single-board computer | Connected to the bank network as a foothold |
| Bash Bunny | USB attack tool | Identified among the devices used in the incidents |
These are device categories in Kaspersky’s incident account, not a recommendation to buy or use any of them.
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What did attackers do after connecting a device?
Kaspersky described three broad stages:
- Establish a physical foothold. An intruder entered the premises and connected a device to the local network, sometimes trying to conceal or blend it in.
- Explore network resources. Attackers remotely accessed the planted device and scanned for shared folders, web servers, and other open resources. They prioritized information about servers and workstations used for payments. Kaspersky also described attempts to brute-force or sniff login data, and the use of shellcode with local TCP servers or tunnels to work around some firewall restrictions.
- Seek continued access to target systems. After gaining access to a target system, attackers used remote-access software and launched malicious services. Kaspersky said fileless techniques and PowerShell helped evade allowlisting technologies and domain policies; the report also describes other remote-execution tools when those approaches were blocked.
The report describes attempts to reach payment-related systems. It does not establish that malware on every planted device directly emptied customer accounts, or that every incident followed an identical sequence.
How were the devices noticed, and who was behind the attacks?
In contemporaneous reporting by CyberScoop, Kaspersky researcher Sergey Golovanov said investigators noticed a mismatch between authorized devices and devices connected to the network. He explained: “Once we compared these numbers, it became clear they didn’t match. In some cases, we were basically tracking a malicious device by following the wires,” CyberScoop reported.
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The attackers’ identities were unclear in that reporting. Neither the Kaspersky account nor the contemporary coverage cited here establishes who was responsible or any affiliation.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the 2018 findings do—and do not—show
DarkVishnya illustrates how physical access can bypass the assumption that a bank network is exposed only through remote attacks: a device connected inside an office can provide a route for remote exploration. But the findings are historical. They do not establish how often this kind of attack occurs now, and Kaspersky’s estimate should not be mistaken for a precise, independently itemized loss figure.
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