Web Directories Website takes onto Incognito Malware Kit; Websense

Web Directories, an online site created for assisting website owners and webmasters hunt appropriate directories, is under hackers' control as it is diverting visitors onto websites hosting an exploit toolkit called Incognito, caution investigators at Websense the security company.

The website, which is a highly visited one within Asia and particularly within India, gets massive traffic everyday; hence it's an ideal conduit to launch malicious software assaults, the security company states.

Meanwhile, for the attack, the hackers injected one iFrame inside the top page's source code within the website; consequently, users on that page are diverted onto another one, which by doing the same takes them onto an ultimate web-page that harbors the Incognito.

According to the Websense investigators, the Incognito malware creating toolkit is really a MaaS (Malware as a Service), which's situated within the cloud. Presently, it has two editions circulating, while several other web-pages have been found diverting visitors onto yet more pages harboring either of the two.

Cyber-criminals on the underground world utilize this exploit kit for executing automated assaults that disseminate malware, Websense points out.

Further, the toolkit is available for sale or even on hire to those who wish for contaminating unwitting end-users' PCs with malware the former create. Thus in case the Incognito malware kit costs very high such as thousands of dollars, those wanting to use it can hire the kit for $200 per week.

Normally online crooks, who use a hired Incognito, work together with the distributors of scareware i.e. fake AV software. The scareware disguises as anti-virus programs that in reality facilitate hackers in gaining admission into targeted PCs.

Indeed, security service vendors after analyzing the assaults have found that numerous Internet sites have lately contracted infection from the malicious software, Websense investigators highlight.

Reportedly, according to the company, users who, on September 4, 2011 or before that, had gone to the Web Directories online site possibly experienced a malware threat that the Incognito pulled down on their computers. As a result they're suggested for performing a PC scan with an effective AV solution for their systems, Websense states in the end.

Related article: Web Browsers Too Have Security Exploits

» SPAMfighter News - 9/16/2011