Kaspersky Lab this week released details about Carbanak, malware that hackers have used to steal millions of dollars from up to 100 banks worldwide.

And as a result, Carbanak topped this week’s list of IT security newsmakers, followed by Anthem, Gemalto and Microsoft (MSFT).

What can managed service providers (MSPs) and their customers learn from these IT security newsmakers? Check out this week’s IT security stories to watch to find out:

1. Carbanak: Here’s what you need to know

Kaspersky called the Carbanak malware “the most successful criminal cyber campaign we have ever seen.”

The antivirus software provider said cybercriminals used Carbanak to steal money directly from banks, e-payment systems and other financial institutions.

Kaspersky noted that the Carbanak criminal gang (the same group responsible for last year’s Staples data breach) relied on several techniques to launch their attacks. Additionally, Kaspersky pointed out that Carbanak “marks the beginning of a new stage in the evolution of cybercriminal activity, where malicious users steal money directly from banks, and avoid targeting end users.”

“These bank heists were surprising because it made no difference to the criminals what software the banks were using … The attackers didn’t even need to hack into the banks’ services: once they got into the network, they learned how to hide their malicious plot behind legitimate actions,” Sergey Golovanov, principal security researcher for Kaspersky’s global research and analysis team, said in a prepared statement.

2. Anthem selects AllClear ID for identity protection

Want to take advantage of Anthem’s free identity protection services? The health insurance company has selected AllClear ID to offer these services to current and former Anthem members.

AllClear ID, the same company that offered identity protection services after The Home Depot (HD) and The UPS Store data breaches, has notified over 160 million consumers on behalf of Fortune 1000 companies about security incidents. Forbes also pointed out that the websites for both Anthem and AllClear ID were updated to reflect the joint agreement.

Anthem CEO Joseph R. Swedish earlier this month announced that his company “was the target of a very sophisticated external cyber attack,” and insurance giant American International Group (AIG) said the incident could cost Anthem more than $100 million.

3. Gemalto reports 49 percent increase in data breaches last year

While many companies invested in IT security last year, new research from digital security company Gemalto revealed that the number of data breaches rose in 2014.

Gemalto’s new Breach Level Index (BLI) showed that there was a 49 percent year-over-year increase in data breaches last year. Also, Gemalto researchers found that there was a 78 percent increase in data records lost or stolen in 2014.

“As data breaches become more personal, we’re starting to see that the universe of risk exposure for the average person is expanding,” Tsion Gonen, Gemalto’s vice president of strategy for identity and data protection, said in a prepared statement.

4. Microsoft opens third Asian cybercrime satellite center in Singapore

Microsoft has established a new cybercrime satellite center in Singapore to help it combat cybercrime in the Asia-Pacific. The new center is Microsoft’s third in the region, along with centers in Beijing and Tokyo.

Richard Boscovich, Microsoft’s assistant general counsel of its digital crimes unit, said he believes that the Singapore cybercrime satellite center will help his company keep an eye on malware that could target Southeast Asia’s emerging status as a financial hub.

“One of the reasons we’re opening a center, particularly here is, obviously, Singapore is one of the major financial centers in the world,” he told CNET. “A lot of money comes through Singapore; it’s a relatively wealthy nation and criminals follow the money.”

What do you think will be the biggest IT security stories for MSPs this week? Share your thoughts in the Comments section below, via Twitter @dkobialka or email me at [email protected].