Tenth Year of 9/11 Invites Malware

While innumerable people worldwide take a moment for recalling the tragic event of 11/09/2001, cyber-criminals, spammers and hackers are seen unleashing their vicious attacks against websites, PCs and social-networking sites across the globe. Further, the surge of 9/11 scams and hacks may be the greatest during the coming second week of Sept, 2011, reports MarketWatch dated September 9, 2011.

In fact, according to BitDefender the Web-security company, several Internet sites have surfaced presenting so-called videos named "towers going down" and "Bin Laden alive" for drawing the attention of inquisitive Web-surfers. Such websites frequently carry web-links, which upon clicking lead onto malware for the unwary users, apparently filching private information, destructing computer programs, or deceptively trapping the end-users inside a fraud. Other common targets for phishing campaigns and malware attacks are the social-networking websites.

Still more questionable websites are fake auction and charity sites that impersonate trustworthy organizations. Cyber-criminals are particularly careful about copying the details of the original sites when crafting fake websites or electronic mails, which are truly hard for distinguishing from the actual. BitDefender warns that such websites have web-links that lead onto malware or scareware programs.

Moreover, Chief of Internet Threats Laboratory Catalin Cosoi at BitDefender said that since spamming and hacking methods had improved during the last ten years along with the increased media hype and importance of the 9/11 centenary, the current year's (2011) September month might prove extremely busy so far as malware activities were concerned. MarketWatch published this.

Additionally Cosoi said that indeed since the tragic event, malware, scams and spam had become more complex thanks to new tools; hacking had been publicly-advanced like any civil disobedience initiative courtesy the new Anonymous and other hackers' groups; and the crime industry was having more scopes for windfall gains, which might ultimately surpass illegal drug trading along with other rackets.

Besides, in a warning by the security lab of GFI, Internet-users are recommended for parrying with clicking videos and web-links generated within e-mails and social networks. Also, they must always verify requests made to them for monetary help towards rescuing victims, their relatives, early repliers, as also memorials.

Related article: Twenty Leading Mail Viruses in May 2008 Released by Kaspersky

» SPAMfighter News - 9/19/2011