Explore the latest news and trends  

Sign up for our weekly security newsletter


Be the first to receive important updates on security





Send

BlackHole Prominent Malware Issue during October 2012

A new malware analysis report by GFI Software for October 2012 states that one major problem over the month was BlackHole the cyber-criminals' attack toolkit. This toolkit reportedly, was associated with spam campaigns disguised as Skype messages, Facebook account checks, and Windows 8.

According to Senior Threat Researcher Christopher Boyd from GFI Software, BlackHole poses an extreme risk to Internauts because it keeps changing its function depending upon the type of online-threat it creates. The malware makes the cyber-crime attack's creation process easy while it's conveniently adjusted towards capitalizing on breaking news stories and magnificently hyped prominent brands, Boyd explains. Softpedia.com published this dated November 19, 2012.

Moreover, BlackHole has also been adjusted to attack particular Internet-users/ organizations via particular types of malicious programs.

Furthermore, the toolkit probably has a wide-spread use while its infection is most successful currently. To work, its victims must foremost go to a hijacked or malware-laden online site having disguised JavaScript. This spurious program scrutinizes the browser of those victims, hunting for possible security flaws that it can exploit, and when that's done the victims get exposed to the malware the BlackHole creates by choice on the mentioned lading page.

Also, days prior to Windows 8 release, the report states, end-users received spam mails presenting one "Microsoft Windows License" for free. If the related web-link was clicked followed with its content getting downloaded, then a BlackHole attack confronted the users who became infected with Trojan Cridex.

One more bulk e-mail attack hit users of Facebook when the message told recipients about their accounts being destabilized that required getting re-verified. In those e-mails, web-links took potential victims onto a 'BlackHole exploit' page from where Trojan ZeuS was served in the guise of an Adobe Flash-player.

Meanwhile during October 2012, several e-mail campaigns hit Skype users too. Those e-mails sometimes carried fake voicemail announcements. If their BlackHole web-links were clicked then ZeuS was served. Some Internauts even received e-mails that had general queries regarding their profile image, along with one web-link leading onto a Trojan that also eliminated itself before issuing Domain Name System (DNS) queries off different malevolent URLs.

Related article: Blackhole Exploit Injected into USPS Website

ยป SPAMfighter News - 11/26/2012

3 simple steps to update drivers on your Windows PCSlow PC? Optimize your Slow PC with SLOW-PCfighter!Email Cluttered with Spam? Free Spam Filter!

Dear Reader

We are happy to see you are reading our IT Security News.

We do believe, that the foundation for a good work environment starts with fast, secure and high performing computers. If you agree, then you should take a look at our Business Solutions to Spam Filter & Antivirus for even the latest version of Exchange Servers - your colleagues will appreciate it!

Go back to previous page
Next