Cyber Criminals Exploit SEO Techniques to Propagate Malware

As per a blog post by the security firm 'Sunbelt Software' in the second week of June 2010, scammers are taking advantage of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) to improve the ranking of links leading to malicious websites visited by Google users in search of hot trendy topics.

In fact, SEO has caught the attention of cyber criminals (including phishers, identity thieves and other online scam runners) to exploit it for accomplishing their malicious ends. These cyber criminals track Google trend rankings of hot topics; for example - a bunch of harried editors.

Computer users have been warned that they should avoid searching for "World Cup Printable Bracket" because there are strong possibilities that Google will display SEO-tuned drive by download websites in its results, said the security firm.

In addition to the "World Cup," cyber criminals exploit other topics like Microsoft Kinect, Gulf Oil Spill, Michael Jackson, Swine Flu, Miley Cyrus, Bill Clinton's Heart Attack, Microsoft and Tiger Woods.

The security firm also adds that these websites are created in such a way that people often believed they are filled with information about 'Gulf oil crisis' and photos of 'Miley Cyrus' in the buff.

However, these websites infect the users' computers with a virus and will not provide even a streak of information they are seemingly searching for.

Computer users receive a pop-up message informing them that their systems face the risk of security issues as they land on any of these spammy websites. The warning message is fake and if the users follow the link then, they will download malicious software on systems.

Moreover, the users need to pay a fee for accessing these services that even pose a threat to their credit card information and computer. As they use credit cards paying for these services, the credit card information is stolen from the system.

Finally, the users are advised that they should have an updated virus on their system that can protect them from falling victim to these attacks and give protection against malware which sneak into the system unknowingly. Although the trend of reading hot topics gaining acceptance, users are suggested that they should be aware of the websites visited by them.

Related article: Cyber Child abuser Sentenced To Imprisonment

» SPAMfighter News - 6/24/2010