UK - Botnet Targets eBay Customers

Security investigators have detected a high-tech botnet assault, which is aiming eBay's clients in the United Kingdom.

The strike, which was first discovered on September 3, 2007, is employing a hi-tech botnet, which is distributed through forceful strikes on eBay accounts to garner personal details and monitor stuff sold or bought through the eBay sites. The phishing scam has prepared botnets of affected PCs to harvest information of functional eBay accounts, as it is forcing users to log onto bogus eBay sites.

eBay maintained that their existing computer already restricts the impact of the assault in certain areas. It further stated that it is collaborating with security agencies to defend clients against the recent attacks through use of brute force that have been integrated into bots since ages, as informed on September 10, 2007 edition of The Register.

According to eBay, this is not a new pattern, but is a familiar method and eBay has several systems equipped through which it can identify this kind of pursuits. Their computers can spot brute force plus cross-site scripting and can also check for account inconsistencies keenly.

eBay added that they had investigated the malware connected with this botnet and furnished data to leading anti-virus firms like McAfee, NOD32 and Panda who have already offered security to their clients, though other purveyors are likely to integrate them soon.

The Internet security crew at eBay has the applications that regularly assesses known botnet and follows its growth pattern to proactively control its power to affect the site or clients. But then, it is vital for net users to defend their anti-virus program and utilize an individual firewall. eBay alone evidently cannot stop general online assaults from hijacking someone's computer.

The online auction leaders added that even if it has started to provide protection to its computers, people also have to contribute themselves to keep their PCs protected. Clients can secure themselves from being affected with the botnet by positioning the accessible fixes for their operating system or any program used. It is also recommended to use an anti-virus patch that has current signatures.

Related article: US Passes Baton to Asia in Spam Relay

» SPAMfighter News - 9/25/2007