The Image that One Downloaded from LinkedIn, Facebook could be Malicious Software

Check Point the security outfit says that no longer are only malware, Trojans and viruses shady programs online for what appears as innocuous photos and images too are now crafted as malicious programs. One such definite instance is with "ImageGate" as the software laboratory recently named, explaining that there must be a 'gate' for everything.

It isn't necessary that malware attacks a user's PC via OS-based exploits or Web-browser. At times, the social-networking websites too may pose the problem. Check Point's security investigators recently detected that the Locky ransomware was piggy-backing on loopholes in the manner LinkedIn along with Facebook, in particular, besides others, treat images so as for tainting one's computer. The trick compels the infected user's Web-browser to pull down one dangerously-coded picture file which compromises the machine immediately when it's clicked. Consequently, all files become encrypted till the time the user pays up.

The disturbing part of this kind of assault simply involves the huge number of people who could be victimized. No matter whether one's security is the maximum and his brain too didn't think of opening the file, he could by force of habit click on it. Hothardware.com posted this dated November 27, 2016.

On opening the dangerously-coded picture file, end-users could have their computers compromised as also files encrypted, while for decrypting them, the hapless persons must make ransom payments of $365 or Pounds 294. Earlier during February, Lawrence Abrams a security researcher cautioned that whilst Locky encrypted and locked any file, its name would be changed to a new format i.e. [unique_id][identified].locky; thus whilst test.jpg was locked via encryption, its name would be changed and become something as F67091F1D24A922B1A7FC27E19A9D9BC.locky. There would also be the distinct ID as well as other info within the particular encrypted file's tail.

Now, one can solely eschew the real 'Locky' malware that is there since nearly twelve months, by remaining wary of it while never clicking on the file. Unfortunately, most often, browsers of social networks repose faith in them and do not perceive that they invite hackers in the process who abuse vulnerabilities within these Internet sites.

» SPAMfighter News - 12/1/2016