It Is Only Getting Worse!!!!

Scareware, I have talked about it before.  You are warned that your computer is infected with a myriad of infections and that for $49.95, this miraculous software will fix all of these problems.  The site looks legitimate so you decide to download the software and fix this, seemingly, serious problem. However, what appears to be a problem is really a scam, you pay the money and what makes a bad situation worse, is that by downloading this software, that is supposed to fix all of your problems, you are actually downloading malware.  So you basically just paid a scammer to infect an otherwise healthy computer.  Well, just when you think that this could not get any worse……it does!!!  Panda Security has just found a new and nastier way in which the bad guys are taking advantage of innocent users.  This new technique is more invasive and can be more costly than anything that has been seen in the past.  Known as “Total Security 2009”, this new scam not only wants you to purchase their software, but will take your computer hostage in order to get it.  By clicking on their warning, software is installed on your computer which makes your file system useless.  Meaning that you cannot do anything, nothing will work on your computer, except you browser.  You have two choices at this point, either pay them the ransom, which by the way has increased, from the $49.95 to around $79.95, or reformat your drive and reinstall Windows.  So we pay the ransom.  This is a bad idea, as not only have you wasted your money, but the malware is still on your computer.  Yeah, you can now scan with a legitimate anti-malware software now and hopefully clean your computer, but I would not put a lot of hope in that.

Luis Corrons, the Technical Director of PandaLabs states that “Users are often infected unknowingly, in most cases, through visiting hacked websites, and once a computer is infected it is extremely difficult to eliminate the threat, even for those with a certain degree of technical knowledge. Users are also prevented from using any type of detection or disinfection tool, as all programs are blocked. The only application that can be used is the Internet browser, conveniently allowing the victim to pay for the fake antivirus. For this reason, on the PandaLabs blog, we have published the serial numbers required to unblock the computer if it has been hijacked. Users can then install genuine security software to scan the computer in-depth and eliminate all traces of this fake antivirus”.

So you see, this is a serious new threat to users everywhere.  This new threat is probably being implemented by scammers as users have become more aware of the previous threats and thus make them less effective.  This is just another example of how the scammers are staying one step ahead of the providers of malware protection.  Panda Security has a real nice overview of this new threat.  You can find it HERE and get the serial numbers at Panda’s Blog Site  HERE.

Keep this in mind when web surfing and checking emails.  As always, never click on links in emails, unless you are sure they are safe, and never open any media files (movies, photos, audio) from sites that you are not 100% sure are secure.  Also make sure that the site you are searching for is, in fact, the site that you are going to.  Always check the URL to make sure you are pointed at the site that you are really looking for.

Here is an article entitled “The Business of Rogueware” written by Sean-Paul Correll and Luis Corrons from Panda Security. (download the PDF)

By doing these things, it may prevent you from being held ransom from some hacker who just wants your money.  Ransom-ware is fast becoming a serious threat to regular users and not just large organizations and corporations anymore.

What are your thoughts…..Leave a comment!!!!