New virus can steal credit card info saved in your browser - here's how to spot it

A new computer virus which has the capability to steal credit card information is targeting users of popular browsers and programs, such as Microsoft Word.

According to Proofpoint, an American cybersecurity company based in California, the Vega Stealer malware system is capable of thieving passwords and credit card details saved to browsers such as Google Chrome and Firefox.

Though the Vega Stealer virus is currently only targeting the marketing, advertising, public relations and manufacturing industries, Proofpoint have suggested that the virus "may grow to be a commonly observed threat."

Targeting corporate emails

Vega Stealer was first noticed by Proofpoint earlier this month when they observed a low-volume email scam targeting corporate businesses.

The emails were titled with subjects such as "online store developer required" and sent to shared distribution lists such as: "info@', 'clientservice@', and 'publicaffairs@'.

The Malware is targeting companies via email (Photo: Shutterstock)

The messages contained a malicious attachment called 'brief.doc' which downloads the Vega Stealer payload, according to the cyber security firm.

The virus is then capable of stealing credit card details and company passwords.

Though the malware is relatively primitive in sophistication, its flexibility means that it could become a greater threat to internet users in the future.

How to spot email malware

There are several steps you can take to avoid falling foul of a malware email.