Microsoft Added New Bogus Antivirus Software in Malicious Codes List

Microsoft updated its Malicious Software Removal Tool in the second week of June 2009 after it had discovered a bogus antivirus application dubbed "Win32/InternetAntivirus."

The fake application uses the same old modus operandi of detecting a malware on user's computers and persuading him to buy the "security software." New users easily come under the influence of Win32/InternetAntivirus as it secretly plants a program on the system that displays messages like a bogus Windows Security Center.

The application not only tricks users to spend money on fake programs but also installs another application known as "TrojanSpy:Win32/Chadem" to capture the FTP usernames and passwords. If the execution of the program is successful, the infected system is used to host malware.

Microsoft in its blog post also said that people who had created this program registered new domains everyday such as star4scan.info and scanfan4.info to remain unidentified. The software giant has suggested people to install only security software tested by a third party in order to stay protected from such kinds of hoax.

Further, bogus antivirus applications are commonly used by scammers to make easy money. They display fake malware detection to frighten innocent users who in haste of removing the malware purchase illegitimate software.

These scammers scare a web surfer by saying that a malware has been found on his system and it can be removed by a security application valued around $50. However, web surfer pays money for a program that instead of protecting the computer downloads a malicious program.

Security experts acknowledge that Microsoft is committed to take every necessary step to block these attacks, but it is a never ending game of cat and mouse. New users should learn the name and operation of legitimate anti-malware programs and not to get entrapped in these fallacious messages.

Microsoft and the Washington Attorney General Office together filed a number of lawsuits against "Scareware" pop-up ads last year. These ads encourage customers to pay for a software that could fix critical flaws on a PC.

Meanwhile, Microsoft has revealed in its new security intelligence report prepared by the Microsoft malware Protection Center that the infections from fake security software called scareware and rogueware rose dramatically across the world in the second half of 2008.

Related article: Microsoft Patches Live OneCare to Tackle Quarantined E-Mails

» SPAMfighter News - 6/20/2009