Spam Mails Refer to Kenyan Mall Incident, Deliver Malware

Symantec the security company cautions Internauts to be wary about malware-laden e-mails that cyber-criminals are distributing while referring to the Kenyan shopping mall that lately came under terrorists' attack.

It maybe noted that terrorists struck in a group killing numerous visitors as well as wounding several at the capital Nairobi's chic Westgate Mall of Kenya.

The electronic mails, which Symantec's researchers analyzed, displayed the title "Official: Kenya mall attackers Video." The text of the same told that live snapshots of the event was attached showing the way the terrorists executed assault in Kenya's Westgate Mall along with a names list referring to those killed. The terrible event prompted caution and that graphic images were available for viewing via clicking a given web-link, the e-mails stated.

But, on clicking, a hijacked site appeared on-screen that opened one box directing the user that he should take down a file named "Kenya terror Video.exe."

A malware of general kind, the executable is actually W32.extrat, which when pulled down, may abuse the affected PC's vulnerabilities.

Precisely, spammers via pictures and video offerings regarding the terror incident entice numerous end-users into downloading the malware Symantec identified to be W32.Extrat.

However, people can remain safe from such malware assaults if they avoid following web-links else opening attachments sent within uninvited e-mails. Moreover, an anti-virus is essential so it can actively hunt down the malware and remove it from the infected PC, Symantec advises.

Remarking about the cyber-criminals' behavior, security researchers state that they immediately act to leverage any global/national headline for disseminating malware.

During September 2013, Commtouch Security figured out the time-period cyber-criminals took for beginning exploitation of such news headlines and they found that over the past 3 months, it was some 22-hrs before the spammers exploited a breaking news event.

And aside the Kenyan mall massacre, other major headlines, which got abused within malicious campaigns recently, included the bomb-blasts during Boston-held marathon; Syria's conflict; exposure of NSA's spying activities; as well as election of new Pope. Researchers observe that in months just gone by, malware scams' mean time to start off since the breaking news began declining.

» SPAMfighter News - 10/11/2013