Storm worm authors switch tactics
Bogus updates and racy pics fuel botnet
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The hackers behind the Storm worm attack are switching tactics.
The malware infected thousands of computers in January by promising recipients information about the storms ravaging Europe at the time in email messages that directed potential marks towards a malware-infested website. Malicious code on the site attempted to download Trojan horse malware onto unpatched Windows boxes that strayed onto the sites. Compromised machines were used to distribute junk mail - the attack was linked to a huge upsurge in spam.
More recently the gang switched tactics, attempting to trick users into visiting maliciously-constructed websites via bogus electronic greeting card receipts. Surfers straying onto these sites last week were offered bogus Microsoft updates. The "updates" - loaded with Trojan code - attempted to trick gullible users into becoming infected even in cases where their machines are fully patched and up to date. Those duped by the ruse became infected with the Zhelatin-gg, a botnet client containing rootkit functionality.
"This operation is apparently the work of the same gang that did the original 'Storm worm' run in January 2007," Finnish antivirus firm F-Secure reports.
Botnet herders refined these tactics over the weekend via emails promising either racy picture or romance to the lovestruck. With Hurricane Dean bearing down on the low-lying Cayman Islands and Mexico after devastating Jamaica overnight its tempting to speculate that the Storm worm authors might come full circle by the end of the week. ®
COMMENTS
Just FYI: They Shifted Again Today
Now they are sending bogus login details.
I got two today. One for "Funny Files," and the other for some community site that doesn't exist.
These geeks are quick on their feet. It sure would be nice to get some hot pics of them in jail...
lame
i hate these lame ass attempts. Like when i'm on aol. the email says billing1@yahoo.com but I'm suppose to believe this is a legit e-mail from AOL asking for my password
Here's some more
I've had this one today:
Subject: "Oh baby, I love what you sent me. Here is some pics to say thanks."
Content: click http://[IP address redacted]
In the past week, I've had about 8 spams saying something like "Your Mother has sent you a greeting card from [URL redacted]. Click the link to view your card!"
Except that my parents both know better than to use those greeting card things, even the so-called legitimate ones. They also know I never click on links in emails, even those from people I know.
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