[infoshare] Fw: Accessible Devices Michael Jackson Death Spurs Spam, Viruses (PC World)

"Luis Guerra" <jerseypalisades@xxxxxxxxxxx> · Sat, 27 Jun 2009 17:15:54 -0400

We believe this is something you need to be aware of.
 Michael Jackson Death Spurs Spam, Viruses (PC World)
Less than 24 hours after , fraudsters are exploiting public interest with 
their attempts
to spread spam and malware. Security researchers say they've observed 
hundreds of
cases of malicious messages masquerading as information about Jackson's 
death. Some
of them, they say, popped up within minutes of the news.
Avoiding these threats isn't difficult, though: It's just a matter of 
staying one
step ahead. Here are some of the attackers' tactics and what you can do to 
keep from
falling victim.
E-Mail Address Harvesting
E-mails started circulating Thursday claiming to have "vital information" 
about Jackson's
death. The messages ask users to respond in order to become privy to the 
"secret"
details.
Unlike many Web-based threats, these e-mails aren't attempting to get you to 
click
onto anything; rather, analysts believe, they're likely trying to get you to 
reply
so your address can be confirmed for future spamming purposes.
"The spammer can easily harvest recipients' e-mail addresses via a free live 
e-mail
address if computer users reply to the spam message," researchers at 
security firm
explain.
Hidden Trojan Infecting
Another hoax takes the more standard approach of offering e-mail-based 
links, supposedly
to exclusive videos and photos of Michael Jackson. These messages also 
appear to
have YouTube videos embedded inside. If you try to follow the links or play 
the video,
however, you may end up with malware on your computer -- without even 
knowing it.
"A legitimate Web site ... is opened by the default browser in order to 
distract
the user by presenting a news article for them to read," researchers at 
explain.
"In the background, three further information-stealing components are 
downloaded
and installed."
Background Blog Processing
Other attackers are getting more creative and setting up phony Michael 
Jackson-related
blogs to try to trick unsuspecting users. Security company says it's seen 
such efforts
pop on a variety of hosting services, including Google's Blogger platform. 
The blogs
take advantage of background processing to run scripts that can cause 
serious harm
to your system.
"Just visiting [one] page spawned a tornado of background and foreground 
browser
activity -- over 100 URLs, mostly called from ad-host Yieldmanager by an 
automated
script hosted elsewhere, were pulled down in just the first three seconds 
after the
page loaded," says Webroot's Andrew Brandt.
At least one site was found to be installing a virus that effectively locks 
down
your PC, terminating most any application before Windows is able to open it. 
Programs
installing spyware and even the have also been observed.
Staying Safe
The notion of exploiting high-profile news events for spreading spam and 
malware
is nothing new. Security researchers say anytime the public's attention is 
tuned
in to a particular topic, attackers see the potential to move in.
The best line of defense is simply to follow standard Web safety procedures: 
Delete
suspicious-looking e-mails or messages from people whom you don't know; 
avoid clicking
on links in messages if you aren't absolutely sure where they lead; and 
restrict
your surfing to reputable Web sites when it comes to breaking news.
If you use Firefox, you can also install a plugin called . NoScript from 
running
on any unapproved sites. That could keep you safe from some of the threats 
lurking
behind legit-looking pages.
Connect with on Twitter or via his Web site, .
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[infoshare] Fw: Accessible Devices Michael Jackson Death Spurs Spam, Viruses (PC World)

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