[jaws-uk] FW: [VICUG-L] FW: [Missouri-l] Microsoft Joins Scareware Battle
- To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, <jaws-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, <bcab@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 1 Oct 2008 22:25:22 +0100
Cross posted to access-uk, jaws-uk and bcab.
Many of you will find the following of interest, especially
if you have "Registry Cleaner XP".
George.
BBC NEWS
Fighting the scourge of scareware
By Maggie Shiels
Technology reporter, BBC News, Silicon Valley Microsoft and
Washington State's Attorney General filed lawsuits against
scam artists who frighten consumers into buying useless
software.
"Scareware" merchants are accused of tricking computer users
into clicking on pop-up alerts that claim their device is
"damaged and corrupted".
They are then persuaded to buy software that corrects the
non-existent issue by offering fake security fixes.
It is a "blatant rip-off of consumers," said Attorney
General Rob McKenna.
Users are "duped into downloading a fake scan (of the
computer) and then duped into paying for software they don't
need".
The attorney general's lawsuit has been filed against a
Texas firm called Branch Software and Alpha Red and its
owner James Reed McCreary IV. The suit alleged that Mr
McCreary's company "sent incessant pop-ups resembling system
warnings to consumers'
personal computers.
"The messages read "CRITICAL ERROR MESSAGE! - REGISTRY
DAMAGED AND CORRUPTED."
The complaint goes on to claim that the ads "instructed
users to visit a web site to download Registry Cleaner XP"
at a cost of $39.95 (£21.70) "We won't tolerate the use of
alarmist warnings or deceptive 'free scans' to trick
consumers into buying software to fix a problem that doesn't
even exist,"
said Mr
McKenna.
"We've repeatedly proven that internet companies that prey
on consumers'
anxieties
are within our reach."
The problem is a growing one according to Eric Sites, the
chief technology officer with security firm Sunbelt Software
which tracks spyware and malware threats.
"In the last six months we have seen an enormous uptick in
the number of people getting infected by these scareware or
spyware agents.
"They are becoming a lot more prevalent and the 'scare and
scam' is all about getting money out of the user," he told
BBC News.
"Online threats"
The organisers behind the scheme took advantage of a Windows
operating system feature designed to let computer network
administrators send notices to people using the machines.
Microsoft referred the case to the attorney general's high
tech unit and helped put the case together.
"Cybercrime continues to evolve, but with public/private
collaboration such as this, we can work to champion tougher
laws, greater public awareness and, ultimately, stronger
protections for online consumers," said Richard Boscovich,
senior attorney for Microsoft's internet safety enforcement
team.
Meanwhile the software giant has filed five new lawsuits and
amended two previous complaints all relating to spyware
attempts.
The programmes listed include Scan & Repair, Antivirus 2009,
MalwareCore, WinDefender, XPDefender and WinSpywareProtect.
Most of the defendants are listed as "John Doe" because
investigators do not yet know the identities of the people
involved.
Catching those behind these spyware scams and bringing them
to justice might not be so simple explained Mr Sites.
"These people could be in Russia or some other country or
using fake names.
It is
sometimes impossible to find out who is behind these scams.
But if there is a money trail, that usually helps."
Microsoft estimates that half of the computer crashes
reported by callers to its customer support lines can be
blamed on spyware messing up machines.
A recent report from North Carolina State University showed
that most internet users are unable to tell the difference
between genuine and fake pop-up messages.
"This study demonstrates how easy it is to fool people on
the web," said co-author Dr Michael S Wogalter, professor of
psychology.
Despite being told some of the messages were fake, people
hit the OK button 63% of the time.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/technology/7645420.stm
Published: 2008/10/01 01:16:24 GMT
© BBC MMVIII
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