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MySpace Not A Source Of Microsoft Updates
David Utter
Staff Writer
2008-01-15
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Bogus friend requests on MySpace led people to malware downloads purporting to be a Windows 'Automatic Update'.
 | | MySpace Not A Source Of Microsoft Updates |  |
Social engineering strikes again, this time in the form of a typical networking activity on MySpace. This latest attack looks different than most.
Security vendor McAfee said the attack starts as a friend request. When clicked on, it pops up what appears to be a legitimate Automatic Update window.
This prompts the user to download "updateKB890830.exe" to their PC. Doing so has nasty ramifications:
Instead of an update however, this download contains a malware cocktail containing additional downloaders, several trojans, as well as a remote admin tool. It is advised to be aware of dialogs that have abnormal properties.
Malware distributors, many backed by Russian criminals, continue to act more aggressively with their attacks. Financial gain has long been at the heart of those crimes, whether through outright theft or compromising a machine to send out spam for bogus companies.
The curious nature of the non-tech-oriented Internet user coupled with clever attacks like the MySpace one illustrated show the need for having a security solution in place. McAfee and competitors like Symantec, Microsoft, Sophos, and a host of others cater to this need.
Real progress against the malware distributors won't happen until the fight for PC safety leaves the PC and moves to the Internet gateway. The noble idea of Internet openness clashes with the criminal element taking advantage it.
The balancing act of security versus openness is a tough one to manage. And the robustness of criminal activity makes us wonder if the bad guys are winning.
About the Author:
David Utter is a business and technology writer for SecurityProNews and WebProNews.
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