Malware Scam Supposedly from Vodafone Hits Dutch Internauts

According to researchers from BitDefender the security company, a malicious e-mail scam posing to be from Vodafone, which was recently targeting British citizens, is now spreading globally when multiple spam outbreaks carrying the Gamarue Trojan have been seen hitting inboxes in Netherlands. The security company anticipates that the scam supposedly from the Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) will hit other languages along with countries too worldwide.

Currently, Dutch Internauts feel they're immensely in danger on cyber-space as one perilous installer plants malware onto their computers that can harvest sensitive information while transmitting the same onto a hacker-controlled remote system. The contaminated electronic mail masquerades as one MMS attachment that Vodafone allegedly archived.

The e-mail, partially carrying an English text, tells the recipient that there's a picture file attached which's from certain 'XXX' cell-phone number. Furthermore, it's crafted with obfuscation methods so it may evade detection by spam filters.

Now, for any inquisitive Dutch Internaut who may follow the fake Multimedia Messaging Service there'll be this malicious installer surreptitiously pulling down Trojan.Gamarue.E that'll instantly infect his computer followed with capturing crucial data. Gamarue may as well pull down and run random files after performing self-up gradation. The Trojan has been observed disseminating onto detachable drives too like Universal Serial Bus.

Moreover, BitDefender highlight that the Gamarue Trojan isn't just spreading via fake Vodafone MMS e-mails; however, even through hotel and airlines reservations, or parking receipts.

Worryingly, it's because of the above kinds of malware-laced junk e-mails which's resulting in increases in malicious programs online, remark the security company's researchers.

Also, it isn't merely Vodafone among all major telecommunication companies that cyber-criminals are targeting lately, worldwide. E-mails, posing as certain bill notification by Telstra the Australian telecom giant, advising receivers to view a given attachment for handling certain overdue account, drew the attention of security experts during January's 3rd-week this year (2013). The attachment carried malicious software.

Fortunately, the majority of anti-virus solutions bear the capability of detecting as also eliminating the Gamarue threat; therefore, it's recommended that users maintain up-to-date security software. Besides, they mustn't necessarily view attachments within suspicious e-mails rather delete them wholly.

Related article: Malware has lesser proximity to your inbox now!

» SPAMfighter News - 1/30/2013