Skype Users Hit with Spam on Indian Cyber Space

An unwanted wave of spam mails is striking Skype an audio-video service available via the Internet as they lurk on Indian cyberspace. Consequently, subscribers are being cautioned to look out for any possible hacking attack, published indiajournal.com dated November 9, 2012.

Specifically, a security alert from the government advises Skype users within India to be vigilant of one malevolent spam attack that's increasingly targeting them through IM (instant messages) that seemingly friends are sending whose e-mail ids are listed in the address books of the victims.

Meanwhile according to Internet security experts, malicious software is spreading across the cyber-networks set for Skype users in India.

The VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) facility incidentally, is a popular mode-of-communication for numerous people in India who've relatives and friends at home/abroad; or even other contacts.

Government officials from CERT-In (Computer Emergency Response Team of India) within the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology have directed to fight the spam attacks against Skype users. They explained how spam perpetrators ultimately compromised end-users' computers through a backdoor that opened channel for interacting with an http server elsewhere.

The officials also said that the malicious software a worm stole user-credentials, acted like a ransomware and carried out click-fraud operations.

Several counter-measures have been recommended for dealing with the said spam even as the cyber-security specialists have asked people not to click un-called for web-links sent through IM over Skype.

Additionally, the security alert states that for maintaining caution, users require taking down the Skype's updated version only from authorized entities. Moreover, Skype consumers must deploy updated anti-virus programs onto desktops and at gateways. They also require exercising caution while viewing e-mail attachments or receiving incoming file-transfers. Another precaution is to deactivate the utility related to auto play. Eventually, users must eschew social engineering tricks.

Importantly, cyber-criminals during recent months have been abusing the VoIP, according to Kaspersky Lab a security company. During the 2nd-week of October 2012, one condensed URL alongside one Skype message reading "LOL, is this your new profile pic[?]" disseminated malware while Skype users clicked it more than 480,000 times in just 2-hrs, the company cited.

Related article: Skype’s VoIP Service Collapsed following Download of Microsoft Update

» SPAMfighter News - 11/19/2012