Fake spyware/adware/spytool warnings.
Category Unsuspecting innocents
A few relatives recently have either been caught or almost caught by using Facebook, and a popup appearing which appears to be an operating system window indicating they are infected with spyware/adware/malware etc.
The thing is, these windows look really authentic, and unless you really know what you're doing, you'll think you're infected and you'll follow the instructions that showup to remove them, which infact then installs spyware/malware and shit on your machine.
Then off course, you get one of these arse hole applications so you search google on how to remove it, most of the instructions then tell you how you can install a spyware removal tool to remove it, but then how do you know the spyware tool it's linking too isn't more spyware?
Basically when you use the internet, be sure to wear a condom (especially if surfing sex sites), and be sure to install anti virus, anti malware stuff. Personally I hate anything Nortons with a passion, if you think Windows UAC is bad, install a Nortons application. I tend to recommend the AVG suite http://www.avg.com, or now you can use the free stuff from Microsoft at http://www.microsoft.com/security_essentials and don't forget servers are vulnerable too, do you really think your admins don't fire up a browser and surf now and again whilst they're waiting for some Websphere install progress bar to move?
Here is an example of the kind of popup you may see:
Notice how smart they are, they call it IE defender so the window title doesn't look out of place (it will also say Firefox if it was the Firefox browser). At least the latest versions of most web browsers, don't change the system icon in the title bar anymore, so you should still see the IE or firefox icon. The people that build these things are sadly wasting an obvious skill and talent.
So be aware, warn your less savvy family members, hell even warn the savvy ones, there seems to be a few of these going about out there at the moment, and as your family IT guy, you'll probably be the one that has to take time to fix it.
A few relatives recently have either been caught or almost caught by using Facebook, and a popup appearing which appears to be an operating system window indicating they are infected with spyware/adware/malware etc.
The thing is, these windows look really authentic, and unless you really know what you're doing, you'll think you're infected and you'll follow the instructions that showup to remove them, which infact then installs spyware/malware and shit on your machine.
Then off course, you get one of these arse hole applications so you search google on how to remove it, most of the instructions then tell you how you can install a spyware removal tool to remove it, but then how do you know the spyware tool it's linking too isn't more spyware?
Basically when you use the internet, be sure to wear a condom (especially if surfing sex sites), and be sure to install anti virus, anti malware stuff. Personally I hate anything Nortons with a passion, if you think Windows UAC is bad, install a Nortons application. I tend to recommend the AVG suite http://www.avg.com, or now you can use the free stuff from Microsoft at http://www.microsoft.com/security_essentials and don't forget servers are vulnerable too, do you really think your admins don't fire up a browser and surf now and again whilst they're waiting for some Websphere install progress bar to move?
Here is an example of the kind of popup you may see:
Notice how smart they are, they call it IE defender so the window title doesn't look out of place (it will also say Firefox if it was the Firefox browser). At least the latest versions of most web browsers, don't change the system icon in the title bar anymore, so you should still see the IE or firefox icon. The people that build these things are sadly wasting an obvious skill and talent.
So be aware, warn your less savvy family members, hell even warn the savvy ones, there seems to be a few of these going about out there at the moment, and as your family IT guy, you'll probably be the one that has to take time to fix it.
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Comments
Clicking anywhere on the screen initiated an .exe download that clearly would install some of the nastiest shit you could have on your PC. Except for some random Chinglish you would have sworn it was legit.
Not sure how you can stop this. Irony was that I hit it from a Linux PC, but you still have to admire the work they put in.
Posted by Arthur Fontaine At 08:14:43 PM On 12/09/2009 | - Website - |
Note that my up-to-date version of McAfee scanned and found nothing wrong!
Posted by weazbo At 07:45:42 AM On 12/10/2009 | - Website - |