14 DAY TRIAL // Malwarebytes has recently launched version 2.0 of the popular security software Malwarebytes Anti-Malware. Cybercriminals and scammers are trying to trick users into installing fake variants of the application.
The company’s experts have come across a number of websites offering free versions of Malwarebytes Anti-Malware 2.0. A majority of the files are potentially unwanted programs (PUPs), but some of them exhibit malicious behavior, Malwarebytes’ Jovi Umawing noted in a blog post.
After analyzing them, researchers have determined that the bogus applications start whenever the operating system is booted. The programs are designed to access browsing information, such as cookies, history and the list of restricted websites.
They also add certain websites – such as Twitch TV, Neogaf, Runescape Online, The Elder Scrolls Online, Gamespot and Wikia – to the list of restricted websites in Internet Explorer.
Malwarebytes has also spotted “premium” versions of the product with key generators on torrent websites. Users are tricked into completing surveys in order to allegedly gain access to the installation files. These surveys help the scammers make a profit.
Internauts are advised to download their favorite applications only from the vendor or from trusted websites. If you want to download the latest version of Malwarebytes Anti-Malware, you can do so from Softpedia.