Ramblings of an old Doc

 

Just as predicted (somewhere) in the “Mastermind – dead” thread, supposedly “leaked” photos of ObL dead are tainted with malware.

We’ve seen this before with all the major disasters such as the Japanese Earthquake  and others.

Curiosity, or a desire to help (in the case of the earthquake) and a desire to learn details attracts large numbers of potential victims whose guard is down (“after all, who would even think of exploiting such a thing?”). The scammers and hackers, that’s who.

Security experts, however, are warning that clicking on any link related to that subject may end up getting your PC infected with malware.
 

"I suppose this was just inevitable," said McAfee Labs' Director of Security Research, Dave Marcus. "The reported death of Osama Bin Laden is just too good a lure for cybercriminals and scammers to pass up." - chicagotribune.com

emails are now circulating that use links (supposedly connecting people to photos of Bin Laden's corpse) to dupe them into downloading malware. Such a photo has yet to be released by the US government -- and even so, that topic is still under debate.

Do not click on links arriving from unknown sources. Don’t even open emails from an unknown source.

There are also reports suggesting that Google Image files have been laced with malware in an attempt to catch PC users looking for photos of Bin Laden's demise. Social media is also being targeted, per Kaspersky labs regarding Facebook and SOE attacks.

Just navigate to trusted news sites, folks. No reports of them being infected….yet.

Source:  http://tinyurl.com/6dc9nah


Comments
on May 05, 2011

Just navigate to trusted news sites

Source:  http://tinyurl.com/6dc9nah

on May 05, 2011

"I suppose this was just inevitable," said McAfee Labs' Director of Security Research, Dave Marcus. "The reported death of Osama Bin Laden is just too good a lure for cybercriminals and scammers to pass up." - chicagotribune.com


There some sort of problem with the Chicago Tribune or infopackets.com that I don't know about, Heavenfall?

Tinyurl used to shorten stuff automatically like the Tribune link:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/search/dispatcher.front?Query=Malware%2C+McAfee+security+consultant&target=adv_article 

I don't enjoy 400+ character urls (as some of them are) I just use Tinyurl automatically. 

 

 

on May 05, 2011

Yes, the problem is how are we supposed to navigate to trusted sites only when we can't see where we are going?

on May 05, 2011

Just as predicted (somewhere) in the “Mastermind – dead” thread, supposedly “leaked” photos of ObL dead are tainted with malware.

We’ve seen this before with all the major disasters such as the Japanese Earthquake and others.

Curiosity, or a desire to help (in the case of the earthquake) and a desire to learn details attracts large numbers of potential victims whose guard is down (“after all, who would even think of exploiting such a thing?”). The scammers and hackers, that’s who.

Security experts, however, are warning that clicking on any link related to that subject may end up getting your PC infected with malware.

Yep...my companion's PC got infected...he just couldn't believe it would happen to him...

Fortunately, MalwareBytes gets rid of it...you have to re-name the executable to iexplore.exe though.  This malware is very similar to System Tool 2011 that he had, that I commented about here in the forums:

I got rid of the dang thing, using MalWare Bytes.  I went to their forums, and found very specific instructions on how to get rid of the Trojan.  Here is the link to it: 

http://forums.malwarebytes.org/index.php?showtopic=66064

You will not be able to download the file from the infected computer.  I downloaded it to my pc, then copied it to a flash drive and then copied that to his desktop.

I didn't have to wipe and re-install anything.  I also did not have to go into safe mode.  It took all of about 15 minutes from to start to finish.  Just be sure you follow the instructions EXACTLY as stated in the instructions.

I hate hackers!

on May 05, 2011

Heavenfall
Yes, the problem is how are we supposed to navigate to trusted sites only when we can't see where we are going?

Try trusting me, Heavenfall... I check things out before posting links. I know you can't see it from Elementals Forum, but here on WinCustomize, I'm a Moderator, and it's my job to post articles with news and software interest.

No harm, no foul - I love Jean-Luc, btw. The pic could have been smaller, though.  

 

@ jazzymjr - me too, mj. Me too. 

on May 05, 2011

DrJBHL
I don't enjoy 400+ character urls (as some of them are)

Use the nifty link function, in the 'toolbar', Doc

Write some text for the link - highlight the text - click the icon (the chain, as in link... clever,ay?) - paste the URL - click ok.
Done deal. Long link, compressed into few(er) letters. Easier to trust even, now it's possible to see the whole URL in the status bar.

Just like this

You're welcome.

on May 05, 2011

DrJBHL anyone can get hacked, and that is exactly how a spam message looks with bad links. They take a legit article, and then provide a tinyurl or something so people don't really know where they end up. It is counterproductive to be speaking of security and then use bad practice.

If you advice us to only navigate to safe sites, then let us see where we are navigating. Trust you? Fuck no.

on May 05, 2011

Thank you, Snowman.

Here you are, Heavenfall

(if that's really you )

on May 05, 2011

Heavenfall
Trust you? Fuck no.

You can trust Stardock's moderators.

All of them.

on May 05, 2011

DrJBHL
Try trusting me, Heavenfall...

Your exchange with Heavenfall was amusing, and he does have a point.  I like Tiny URLs, but they can be used to hide a bad site as well (not from the trusted Doc of course! )

But I have to ask - how are they infecting google images?  The article was not very clear on the how there.

on May 05, 2011

By replacing the image files with malware. How that's done? Even if I knew, I wouldn't say.... sorry. 

Besides, if I told you I'd have to kill you.  

on May 05, 2011

Didn't need a crystal ball for this one

on May 05, 2011

Eh, I thought the latest word was that the US isn't going to release the photos.  So anyone claiming to have them is likely a liar.  From what I've heard, the photos show Bin Laden's brains poking out from where one of his eyes should be.  So the politicians are concerned about making foreigners mad if the pictures were released.  E.g. 'recruitment tools', etc.

on May 05, 2011

What he said. ^^^^^^^

on May 06, 2011

DrJBHL
By replacing the image files with malware. How that's done? Even if I knew, I wouldn't say.... sorry. 

Besides, if I told you I'd have to kill you.  

No, you told me enough.  I thought they were infecting the GIFs and JPGs (as I continue to advise my clients and family those are the ONLY safe attachments to open).

Besides, your threat is empty.  I already know about Bones' efforts to save lives!!!!