Thanksgiving Links Become New Tool of Malware Propagation

Security experts at CA (Computer Associates) caution that hackers have contaminated top Google results related to Thanksgiving, inserting sites with malware and using black hat SEO methods to drive them up the ranks of search results.

As witnessed in the previous SEO-based assaults, opening of a link without confirming its authenticity takes user to an intermediate page whereas webpage re-directions are noticed in the browser. Following this process, a usual Fake Scanner Page displays a warning that the user's system is attacked by viruses.

Clicking on the given dialog box leads to the installation of a malicious file "install.exe" which security experts have called as a new example of a forged antivirus application.

In case the file "install.exe" runs on a system, a fake security software is downloaded on a user's system that further threatens users with bogus infection alerts and bothers him for paying money for bogus security.

As per the CA officials, the attacks use social engineering to make victims, employing several layers of deception for making its harmful links appear to be authentic. The malicious code and its elements (or componments) are found by CA Antispyware as Rogue Security Software "Security Tool" and as Trojan "Win 32\SecuirtyTool" variants by CA Antivirus.

Explaining the attack, CA officials stated it might not be Thanksgiving Day yet, but malware creators have prepared beforehand to entice unwary web users into downloading a malware. The latest attacks are because of the emerging trend of search engine optimization related social engineering attacks becoming popular with the holidays and the latest celebrity news headlines.

This kind of link contamination is becoming common now-a-days, as hackers take merit of apparently every hot news trend to circulate their product. Important holidays, breaking coverage and celebrity news can prove to be a treasure box for scareware distributors.

As always, security experts have suggested that users should exercise caution while browsing the web and installing files. They should always keep their security products updated.

Related article: Thanksgiving, an Occasion for Caution from Hackers

» SPAMfighter News - 12/4/2009