14 DAY TRIAL // Security researchers from Sophos warn that cybercriminals are trying to exploit news about the "Here you have" virus via rogue YouTube videos which lead users to scams.
The cyber threat that everyone has been talking about during the past couple of days is a fast spreading mass-mailing worm which floods mailboxes with malicious links.
The piece of malware is known by various names, depending on which security vendor you ask. For example, Microsoft calls it Visal.B, Symantec Imsolk, while Trend Micro, MEYLME.
Meanwhile, the media likes to refer to it as the "Here you have" virus after the subject line of the rogue emails it sends.
With most antivirus companies issuing alerts about it, it's no wonder that this worm has captured the attention of a lot of people, even though it predominantly affected corporate environments.
Unfortunately, cybercriminals have made a habit of exploiting any popular subjects in order to trick users, and as proven in the past, malware outbreaks are no exception.
Graham Cluley, a senior technology consultant at Sophos, reports that some scammers have created rogue videos on YouTube, allegedly about the new threat.
"When you stumble across it in search engine results, you imagine it's going to tell you something about the 'Here you have' virus.
After all, it's title is 'Here You Have Virus Email -- New Computer virus'. But in fact, it's something different," the security researcher writes.
When attempting to play the video, users are told that the content is blocked for copyright reasons and are instructed to click on a link included in the description.
This takes them to an external website, which claims that one of several surveys must be completed to access the information.
Users who fall victim to this scam end up exposing their personal information and helping the people behind it win money through affiliate marketing commissions.