Tool Creates Phony YouTube Pages to Deliver Malware

In a recent incident of cyber crime, a tool has been used that automatically generates phony YouTube Websites to sell services of cracking passwords and delivering malware.

Ryan Sherstobitoff, Chief Corporate Evangelist of Panda Security, an online security firm, says that PandaLabs has discovered the malevolent tool on underground forums. The tool dubbed YTFakeCreator enables to effortlessly set up a fake YouTube page that secretly installs malware like virus, adware or Trojan onto the computer visiting the malicious page, as reported by CNETNews on September 11, 2008.

Security Specialists at PandaLabs state that when a surfer visits the fake YouTube page, a bogus error message appears saying that a Flash update or codec is required to play the video; therefore, the surfer must download the application. But while doing that, malware gets installed onto his computer.

The security specialists also disclosed that the malevolent tool did not automatically disseminate the video link. It spreads only when an attacker distributes it through e-mail, IRC channels, FTP, CD or file-sharing networks.

Further, the investigators said that the entire activity took place only with YTFakeCreator. And the criminals could freely select the kind of malware he wanted to disburse from the phony pages among worms, viruses, Trojans, adware etc.

Meanwhile, according to Dominic Hoskins, Country Manager of Panda Security, UK, the YTFakeCreator tool has increased the application of fake YouTube pages technique to infect end-users. Also, the tools compel end-users to adopt every precautionary measure to avoid becoming victim of the attacks, as reported by SCMagazine on September 16, 2008. Hoskins further said that since the malicious pages are extremely hard to differentiate from the genuine pages, they make sure that more and more end-users become infected.

Moreover, Sherstobitoff said that malware was really commercialized, with a rise in the sophisticated custom-built trojans that were available with technical support and service agreements on underground forums. Also, Sherstobitoff said that the criminals were hiring botnets and denial-of-service attacks or even selling them just as arms dealers.

» SPAMfighter News - 22-09-2008

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