Malware Strikes LSE Site Following Trading Fault

Computer operators visiting the website of LSE (London Stock Exchange) during the February 25, 2011 weekend became exposed to malevolent advertisements producing security alerts, which in reality were false. ComputerWorld published this on March 1, 2011.

Actually, Web-surfers attempting at visiting londonstockexchange.com/news inside Firefox, found a pop-up alerting them that the web-page was an attack page. Similar alerts popped up inside Apple's Safari and Google's Chrome too.

States Firefox that attack pages attempt at loading information-stealing programs; utilize the victim's PC to wage assaults on other PCs; alternatively destruct the user's computer. In the meantime, Google states that it was on February 27, 2011 that dubious content was last seen on the website. Finextra published this on February 28, 2011.

Said a spokesperson of LSE, the problem was really because of a malicious ad that an ad company posted on the Internet site of the exchange. According to him, the ad carried a PC-virus, which could infect the LSE users merely if they followed through its links. Since then, however, the malicious ad has been removed.

Moreover, the LSE stated that its website didn't have any virus and that it was working fine, while they were looking forward to Google for making its virus report up-to-date. ComputerWeekly.com published this on February 28, 2011.

Soon after though, the spokesperson validated that the problem had been set right and that the exchange had restarted its business on February 25, 2011 at 12:15 pm. CITY A.M published this on February 28, 2011.

In the meantime, according to the security researchers, it isn't just LSE, which's having technical problems, as the Australian Stock Exchange too was compelled for closing its trading 1 hr before closing time because of a PC fault, which prevented confirmation messages of counterparties from getting delivered.

Reportedly, following the LSE event, the exchange e-mailed to the affected traders expressing regrets because of the difficulties they were facing in accessing the LSE site, explaining that an intermediary service provider for advertisements that utilized www.londonstockexchange.com was the reason why Google exhibited the error note they got. ComputerWeekly.com published this on February 28, 2011.

Related article: Malware Authors Turn More Insidious

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