Scareware package mimics Windows Blue Screen of Death
A fatal credulity has occurred
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Miscreants have developed a scareware package that mimics Windows' infamous Blue Screen of Death.
Prospective marks are presented with a seemingly crashed system, along with a text warning that they need to buy "security software" to clean up their systems. But the SystemSecurity rogue package on offer has no utility other than scamming people out of their money.
Variants of SystemSecurity have been around since at least February 2009. However, the Blue Screen of Death trick is a new social engineering innovation, only spotted in variants of the attack last week by anti-spyware firm Sunbelt Software.
SystemSecurity usually makes its way onto compromised Windows PCs via fake video codec installations.
Users normally install the bogus code (actually a Trojan horse malware) after following links in spam emails ostensibly inviting them to view video clips. ®
COMMENTS
How long until...
...they do the self-referential thing ala 419 spammers offering compensation to 419 scam victims? "Your computer is infected with fake malware removal tools. You can buy our software to cure this problem..."
Dumb to fall for it
I wonder how many people would fall for this crap. A blue screen of death screen from within a browser? A popup message with a security warning. What does a security warning got to do with a BSOD?
I sent off an Email to the computer novices I know to warn them.
Lack of knowledge is no excuse.
You don't have to know anything about car mechanics to realise that when it starts making a strange noise, something is wrong, so you go get advice, go to a garage etc. And anyway, any car owner who doesn't know how to check the fluid levels, tyre pressures or change a tyre or bulbs SHOULDN'T be driving.
Same with computers. Knowing nothing about how they work isn't an excuse. Anyone with even a fraction of a brain between their ears knows to be suspicious of emails especially from someone you've never heard of who asks you to click on a link! And people who don't keep their software upto date, don't use anti-virus/anti-malware/browser security plug-ins and don't scan downloads before opening them SHOULDN'T be using a computer.
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