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Home > News > Tags > Scareware
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Not long ago we've presented a series of fake Windows antivirus programs designed to fool users into purchasing shady pieces of software that allegedly cleaned up infections that didn’t exist in the first place. Experts warn that new versions of the phony AV applications are making the rounds.
Until now, ... |
30 April 2012
04:30 GMT |
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Trend Micro researchers have thoroughly analyzed the latest threat that takes control of the affected machines, blocking them on behalf of various law enforcement agencies, demanding payments from the victims.
Experts found that the cybercriminals that target the computers of Internet users from numerous European co... |
4 April 2012
14:01 GMT |
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Sophos researchers discovered that a number of OpenX ad servers were compromised and altered to redirect users to sites that push dangerous pieces of malware.
Experts found that when the OpenX ad content is requested by the browser, an iframe is also loaded, executing a malicious JavaScript identified as Troj/JSRedi... |
29 March 2012
09:30 GMT |
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No-Risk Agent, AntiHazard Center, Process Director, Guardian Angel, Software Keeper, Problems Stopper, Health Keeper, and No-Risk Center all have one thing in common. They are all fake Windows antiviruses (AVs) that try to fool users into making payments in order to remove phony infections from their computers.
An o... |
26 March 2012
08:46 GMT |
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While usually cybercriminals prefer to spread pieces of scareware through drive-by exploits, in the latest campaign they turned to spam emails to advertise fake antivirus programs. Symantec has come across a shady application called Windows Risk Minimizer, which is hosted on over 300 compromised websites to which th... |
23 March 2012
11:28 GMT |
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Bitdefender experts came across a piece of scareware that makes victims believe that something may have happened to all the files and folders stored on their computers. The user is then requested to pay $80 (60 EUR) for a tool that allegedly addresses the problem.
Scareware or ransomware is not uncommon, many securi... |
8 March 2012
04:50 GMT |
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Ransomware that impersonates law enforcement agencies is not new, but recently cybercriminals started serving these malicious elements using compromised sites. One of these sites is Laudree.fr, which belongs to a famous French company that provides luxury cakes and pastries.
Trend Micro researchers identified the ra... |
25 February 2012
02:18 GMT |
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The UK Metropolitan Police’s Central e-crime Unit (PCeU) is warning Internet users about the massive malware campaign that locks computers allegedly in the name of the law enforcement agency.
Microsoft’s Malware Protection Center informed us a while back that the campaign is targeting users from all acro... |
14 February 2012
07:02 GMT |
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A Washington state resident is suing Symantec for scaring consumers with fake error detections and convincing them to purchase their products in order to get rid of the alleged threats.
The class action complaint is filed in a Northern District of California court by James Gross and makes serious accusations regardi... |
12 January 2012
10:59 GMT |
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Rogue pieces of software which falsely alert users that their devices are infected with all sorts of malicious elements, requiring victims to pay certain amounts of money to allegedly clean their computers, have been spotted to target Android enthusiasts.
Up until now, Windows systems were the main target for these ... |
3 January 2012
10:28 GMT |
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Ransomware, a piece of malware that makes a computer useless until the victim pays a certain amount of money allegedly needed to make it useable again, has been seen targeting the citizens of many countries, and to make everything seem more realistic, crooks involve the name of the local law enforcement authorities. ... |
19 December 2011
09:11 GMT |
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The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) settled an agreement with individuals and companies who were caught running a massive fake antivirus campaign and, now, they plan on sharing the $8 million (5.6 million EUR) they won with a few hundred thousand consumers who paid certain amounts of money for scareware software.
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12 December 2011
03:00 GMT |
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Speedtest.net was discovered as being infected with a piece of malware that automatically infects the computers of unsuspecting visitors with a fake anti-virus called Security Sphere 2012.Armorize reveals that all the visitors of the website which have outdated browsers or browser plug-ins end up with the fake AV per... |
10 October 2011
08:23 GMT |
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A new attempt made by hackers to scare people relies on using Skype voice calls to alert random members that their computer is unprotected.
After each article about spammers and fake anti-virus, I think “This is probably it! They've used up all their techniques and probably nothing new will take us by s... |
20 September 2011
03:58 GMT |
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The popular uTorrent website was hacked on Monday morning at approximately 4 AM, the attackers replacing the standard client software download with a fake anti-virus.
Luckily, two hours later the site's administrators noticed the hack and took the affected servers offline.
It was initially believed that B... |
14 September 2011
02:50 GMT |
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Researchers from web security vendor Armorize have detected a new mass injection attack that affected over 22,000 websites so far and directs users to drive-by download exploits.The researchers were able to determine the number of affected domains because the attackers originally forgot a script tag, rendering their ... |
17 August 2011
14:47 GMT |
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Security researchers warn that a wave of fake emails posing as bogus hotel credit card charge notifications are distributing scareware applications.The fake emails started appearing last week and bear subjects like "Hotel Sutton Place made wrong transaction" or "Wrong transaction from your credit card in Four Seasons... |
2 August 2011
14:26 GMT |
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Security researchers warn about a trojan spreading through Facebook and having an unusually sophisticated payload which involves replacing the legit antivirus programs used by its victims.A lot of effort has been put by its creators into the trojan's propagation routine which uses advanced social engineering, in... |
25 July 2011
13:20 GMT |
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Telephone scams in which malware distributors call users and trick them into infecting themselves or providing unrestricted access to their computers are increasingly common in Canada.
According to security researchers from antivirus vendor Sophos, the callers pose as technical support engineers working for Micros... |
16 July 2011
06:23 GMT |
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Scareware distributors have launched a new spam campaign that produces fake emails purporting to come from the police and containing traffic tickets.According to security researchers from CA who intercepted the spam run, the emails bear a subject of "UNIFORM TRAFFIC TICKET #7046."The rogue notifications purport to or... |
12 July 2011
12:22 GMT |
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Security researchers warn that wave of fake emails posing as overdue credit card bill notifications distribute scareware programs.The campaign was spotted by experts from M86 Security who note that the rogue messages don't mention any particular credit card brand or bank in an attempt to entice more victims.The ... |
1 July 2011
09:57 GMT |
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The FBI has shut down two international cyber crime operations focused on the distribution of scareware applications and responsible for over losses of over $74 million.Under the name "Operation Trident Tribunal," the FBI, assisted by law enforcement agencies from Ukraine, Latvia, Germany, Netherlands, Cyprus, France... |
23 June 2011
11:56 GMT |
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Security researchers from antivirus vendor Trend Micro warn that searching for Apple's upcoming iCloud service can lead to scareware websites.iCloud is a new platform announced by Apple earlier this month that is set replace a series of services the company currently offers and bring new ones as well.There'... |
23 June 2011
04:52 GMT |
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US federal authorities seized almost $15 million from a Swiss bank account associated with a fugitive scareware peddler indicted in US since 2008.The Swiss government transferred $14.8 million to the United States on May 31 in accordance with a federal seizure warrant issued in New York.The money was stored in a... |
10 June 2011
08:28 GMT |
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Security researchers from Sophos have intercepted spam emails posing as fake United Parcel Service (UPS) delivery notifications that distribute scareware.The rogue emails bear subjects of the form "United Parcel Service notification #90294" and have spoofed headers to appear as originating from @ups.com email address... |
9 June 2011
12:28 GMT |
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Security researchers from GFI Labs warn that scareware distributors are abusing SourceForge to host malicious pages that direct visitors to PDF exploits.The campaign is the work of people behind the FakeRean family of malicious applications that pose as fake security products and trick users to buy useless licenses."... |
8 June 2011
13:39 GMT |
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Three new variants of the MacShield scareware were identified today, suggesting that Apple's efforts so far haven't discouraged Mac malware development."F-Secure Labs located three new samples today, and added detection for today's in-the-wild versions of MacShield," Sean Sullivan, security advisor at ... |
8 June 2011
09:58 GMT |
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A recent Facebook spam attack spreading Mac and Windows scareware has lasted for almost 24 hours on the social networking platform and mutated several times.The attack started on Tuesday by luring users with messages about an alleged video of IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn abusing a hotel maid.The spam messages wer... |
2 June 2011
00:54 GMT |
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The defense Apple has put in place against the latest scareware attacks targeting Mac users has already been bypassed by a modified version of the rogue software.Since a few weeks ago, Mac users are being targeted by scammers who use scare tactics to convince them to install fake antivirus programs.This type of appli... |
1 June 2011
12:59 GMT |
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Scareware pushers have started using Facebook to spam out links that lead users to pages distributing fake Mac OS X antivirus software.The scammers hope to exploit people's interest into the recent news that IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn faces rape charges in New York.Rogue messages posted from compromised ac... |
31 May 2011
13:42 GMT |
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Details about the recent scareware campaign which infected a lot of Mac computers suggest the involvement of the largest Russian online payment processor, ChronoPay.The connection was made by IT security blogger Brian Krebs who has previously investigated ChronoPay and its CEO Pavel Vrublevsky.ChronoPay's busine... |
27 May 2011
12:57 GMT |
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A new variant of the Mac Defender scareware that has plagued Mac OS X users since the beginning of the month no longer asks users for their admin password during installation.Mac Defender is probably the first widespread Mac malware attack and it caught a lot of users off guard, exactly like antivirus experts predict... |
26 May 2011
12:17 GMT |
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Security researchers from Armorize warn that Goal.com's security problems are not over and the website continues to infect visitors, this time with scareware.
At the beginning of this month, Armorize's web-scanning service detected a malware infection on popular soccer news site goal.com.
The company&... |
23 May 2011
05:18 GMT |
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Vietnamese security vendor Bkis warns that scareware distributors are distributing rogue links on question and answer portals that lead to fake Yahoo! Answers sites.The links point to a .tk domian that contains the words yahoo and answers in its name and are part of messages reading "anyway, I think this will help yo... |
10 May 2011
07:57 GMT |
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Security researchers warn that scareware pushers have begun targeting Mac users and two fake antivirus applications designed for Apple's operating system have already been spotted in the wild.According to malware analysts from antivirus vendor Kaspersky Lab, the two rogue programs, called "Best Mac Antivirus" an... |
3 May 2011
09:01 GMT |
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Security researchers warn that Google Image searches for president Obama's birth certificate have been poisoned with malicious links that lead users to scareware.This new black hat SEO campaign was prompted by the White House's decision to release President Barack Obama's long-form birth certificate in... |
28 April 2011
13:42 GMT |
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A new wave of scareware-carrying emails are posing as order confirmations from a pearl jewelry manufacturer called BoBijou in an attempt to trick recipients to open malicious attachments.According to independent security consultant Dancho Danchev, who analyzed the new attack, the emails bear a subject of "Successfull... |
28 April 2011
12:55 GMT |
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Security researchers from CA warn of a piece of scareware designed for mobile phones which poses as a legitimate antivirus product from a reputed vendor.Scareware applications are some of the most common types of computer threats seen today. They are also among the most profitable ones for cyber criminals and help fu... |
27 April 2011
14:22 GMT |
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Security researchers from Websense warn that searching for photos of Presley Walker on Google Images can generate results that direct users to drive-by download pages.Drive-by downloads are a type of attack in which victims get infected only by visiting a specially crafted web page, without any interaction.This is no... |
21 April 2011
15:20 GMT |
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Security researchers warn that searching for terms related to the upcoming royal wedding carries a risk of scareware infection because the results are poisoned with malicious links.The Royal Wedding of Prince William, the second in line of succession to the British Throne, and Kate Middleton, is scheduled to take pla... |
21 April 2011
05:32 GMT |
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Security researchers warn that searching for pictures of Russian space pioneer Yuri Gagarin on Google Images can lead to scareware pages.Apparently cyber criminals have been engaging in a so-called black hat SEO campaign since April 12, when the world celebrated Yuri's Night to commemorate space exploration.The ... |
14 April 2011
09:31 GMT |
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According to security researchers, some scareware programs have begun featuring SMS payments, a method more commonly seen in ransomware scams.Fake programs, especially those masquerading as security solutions, continue to pose a major risk to consumers, despite the continued awareness raised by security experts.Known... |
11 April 2011
01:06 GMT |
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Security researchers warn of a new malware distribution campaign which produces emails with malicious attachments that pose as delivery notifications from DHL.The rogue emails have a subject "DHL Express Services" and their headers have been forged to appear as originating from a @dhl.com address.They inform recipien... |
5 April 2011
05:58 GMT |
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Security researchers from cloud security provider Zscaler warn that some scareware distribution sites are using code randomization for both their pages and the malicious binaries they serve.Spreading fake antivirus programs, collectively known as scareware or rogueware, is one of the most profitable cyber criminal ac... |
25 March 2011
13:54 GMT |
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NetQin, a Chinese company developing mobile antivirus solutions is accused of using unethical business methods similar to those used by scareware distributors.The Chinese Central Television (CCTV) reported last week that NetQin covertly installs a malicious application alongside its antivirus program and then asks fo... |
25 March 2011
06:01 GMT |
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Security researchers from Commtouch warn that T-Online's free hosting packages are being abused by scareware pushers to host redirect scripts.Deutsche Telekom-owned T-Online is the largest Internet service provider in Germany with also a strong presence in Hungary, Austria, Switzerland and France.In addition to ... |
25 March 2011
04:30 GMT |
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Two men have agreed to pay $8.2 million in order to settle charges brought by the Federal Trade Commission regarding their involvement in a major scareware operation.Marc D’Souza and his father, Maurice D’Souza, both of Canadian nationality, were named as defendants along with four other people in a compl... |
28 January 2011
11:15 GMT |
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Scareware distributors have managed to push rogue antivirus advertisements onto the ICQ network by posing as a known clothing retailer.According to Roel Schouwenberg, senior antivirus researcher at Kaspersky Lab, the security vendor began receiving numerous reports of infections with a piece of scareware called Antiv... |
25 January 2011
11:21 GMT |
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Security researchers from Kaspersky Lab warn that a new worm rapidly spreading on Twitter spams rogue goo.gl URLs that direct users to fake antivirus distribution sites.The spammed links take users through a series of redirects until landing them on an obfuscated scareware attack page.According to Kaspersky Lab'... |
20 January 2011
13:45 GMT |
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Security researchers from Avira warn that fake Facebook password change emails are trying to trick users into opening a malicious attachment that installs a version of the Bredolab trojan.The rogue emails carry a subject of "Facebook password has been changed. ID####," where # stands for a random digit, and purport t... |
19 January 2011
03:52 GMT |
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