E-Cards Infect Computers With Spyware

Investigators at Exploit Prevention Labs have just exposed a leading group of hackers working in Australia utilizing what seems as Yahoo (Nasdaq: YHOO) e-greetings to affect numerous computer users with keylogger malware. Hackers employ this malicious software to thieve credit card details, bank account user ID and other confidential data.

Almost all Australian bank accounts were infected, as per Exploit Prevention Labs. Investigators also found proof of malevolent e-card senders have extended their boundaries as they have confirmed preys in Europe, North America and Asia utilizing a range of e-card dealer accounts.

"Earlier e-card strikes and ensuing corruptions had a trend towards denial of service, spam delivery and virus distribution. This is potentially more unsafe to end user as their monetary detail is threatened," said Minoo Hamilton, nCircle, TechNewsWorld's senior vulnerability researcher.
The receiver finds an innocuous looking passionate email communication along with an interlinked e-card seemingly legal, and carrying messages like "I love you", "I was thinking of you", etc... Upon accessing the malevolent e-card content, receivers are instructed to click open a URL hyperlink to get their message. The website exhibits a regular e-card, but concealed beneath the HTML is a harmful keylogger spyware that's directly lodged on to the PC while opening the card.

Immediately after installing the card, the keylogger starts monitoring. The program operates quietly in the backdrop, and is unnoticed by the end user or the antivirus package. It registers every email seen, plus every access code recorded. It maintains the record of every chat and instant messaging stint, along with every site explored. This entire detail is dispatched immediately to the individual who had mailed the e-card, be it a beloved or a hacker.

Armed with currently updated anti-spyware software and supported by the latest operating system and web browser with most hi-tech security patches, your prospects of getting affected by a spyware-corrupted e-card are minimized considerably. However, your greatest protection against all possibly dubious e-mails is the "delete" button.

» SPAMfighter News - 06-11-2006

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