Zeus malware now has Windows-like piracy protection

The newest version of Zeus, a do-it-yourself crimeware kit responsible for millions of dollars in losses by consumers and businesses, comes with anti-piracy provisions similar to those used by Microsoft’s Windows, a researcher said today. Like Windows, Zeus 1.3 ties itself to a specific computer using a key code based in part on the machine’s hardware configuration, said Kevin Stevens, a security researcher with Atlanta-based SecureWorks, and a co-author of a report on Zeus published last week.