Cyber Criminals Recycle Malware To Target Web Security
Cyber criminals recycle malware to target web security
Monday, March 8, 2010
In recent weeks, cyber criminals have reused a malware strain seen frequently in 2008 to conduct a series of ransomware attacks, according to FortiGuard, a web security provider.
The HTML/Goldun.AXT strain accounted for more than half of the malware the company detected in February. The virus originates in a spam email and automatically transmits a program called Security Tool, which is actually the malware. Also, the cyber criminals are utilizing SEO to deliver the virus on Google and other search engines.
“It may look familiar, because we have seen this campaign quite some time ago in late 2008, during the first large flood of scareware that hit cyberspace,” FortiGuard said in its report. “At that time, the very same spam template was delivering the Goldun trojan; now, this spam is used to spread the FakeAV downloader that installs the Security Tool ransomware.”
SEO has become an increasingly popular method for the distribution of malware and other harmful programs. Using trending news topics and other popular events to draw clicks is an easy way to capitalize on curiosity for cyber criminals.
Source: www.mxlogic.com