Close
  • Latest News
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
Read Down
Sign in
Close
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Read Down
Password recovery
Recover your password
Close
Search
Logo
Logo
  • Latest News
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
More
    Home Latest News
    • Blogs
    • Security Watch

    In Malware Schemes, Sex Still Selling

    By
    Matthew Hines
    -
    July 28, 2009
    Share
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Linkedin

      Paris Hilton and Pamela Anderson may not have the same celeb appeal that they had a few years ago when they routinely topped the charts as search engine fodder. However, at least in one regard, their legacy lives on in cyberspace.

      As we’ve seen in a number of high-profile incidents in recent weeks, when it comes to advertising malware to end users, there’s no question that sex remains one of the most popular and effective topics for use in spreading infections. At least we have to assume that it’s still effective, but that seems like a logical conclusion since attackers keep on flogging the same model.

      Beyond the seemingly endless array of multimedia codec download attacks that spam themselves around promising XXX files, social engineering using sex, as was perfected years ago via the use of campaigns centered on adult images of Ms. Hilton and Ms. Anderson, continues to emerge at every opportunity.

      Whenever there’s even the slightest hint of a celebrity sex tape scandal attackers flock to the Web to begin creating threats based on the content – frequently doing so nearly as quickly as end users show up online seeking the involved files themselves.

      For instance, when the unauthorized video of ESPN sideline reporter Erin Andrews first emerged last week, attackers were onboard almost immediately, trying to use everything from spam-based campaigns related to the footage to attempts to trick users into finding their infection sites via links posted on Andrews-related clips appearing on YouTube.

      On another fairly cutting-edge front, attackers attempting to create what may be the world’s first mobile device botnet using a program named “SexyView” that’s skillfully disguised as a legitimate mobile application designed to send adult materials to your handheld device.

      Even with widespread awareness that a good portion of the freely available XXX content available online comes with some form of badware onboard, it seems that attackers feel fairly confident that they can continue ride the same old tactics to profit, otherwise they’d simply move onto to something else, as we know.

      So it comes as little surprise that nearly every day researchers seem to stumble over some form of new attack that somehow references sex.

      Over the last several days, researchers at endpoint security specialist Sophos raised the red flag over the latest sex-driven malware sample that the company’s systems have encountered in the wild.

      Dubbed Troj/AdClick-FR the attack is designed specifically to deactivate and end user’s anti-virus protection, the company said. The involved program first appears as a file named “EroticPamela.mpg” that mimics the look and feel of a Windows media file. But of course the program is actually a file executable that drops malware onto the system of anyone who opens it.

      After the program takes hold, an affected user’s anti-virus software stops running or terminates altogether, along with other security processes, Sophos researcher Chee Hui said in a blog post.

      Specifically, the Trojan attempts to disrupt popular security products including Sygate Firewall, Norton AntiVirus Auto-Protect Service and ESET Smart Security, the researcher said.

      Furthermore, the attack also tries to embed itself so that it runs automatically whenever an infected system is turned on, and it modifies users’ Windows Explorer settings. The threat also attempts to change infected PCs’ Windows System Properties page.

      It’s unclear if the “Pamela” referenced in the attack file is the aforementioned former Playboy bunny and Tommy Lee honeymoon video star.

      Either way the aging starlet can take pride in the fact that, at least in the online domain, her inspiration lives on.

      Matt Hines has been following the IT industry for over a decade as a reporter and blogger, and has been specifically focused on the security space since 2003, including a previous stint writing for eWeek and contributing to the Security Watch blog. Hines is currently employed as marketing communications manager at Core Security Technologies, a Boston-based maker of security testing software. The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the views of Core Security, and neither the company, nor its products and services will be actively discussed in the blog. Please send news, research or tips to SecurityWatchBlog@gmail.com.

      Matthew Hines
      Get the Free Newsletter!
      Subscribe to Daily Tech Insider for top news, trends & analysis
      This email address is invalid.
      Get the Free Newsletter!
      Subscribe to Daily Tech Insider for top news, trends & analysis
      This email address is invalid.

      MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

      Latest News

      Zeus Kerravala on Networking: Multicloud, 5G, and...

      James Maguire - December 16, 2022 0
      I spoke with Zeus Kerravala, industry analyst at ZK Research, about the rapid changes in enterprise networking, as tech advances and digital transformation prompt...
      Read more
      Applications

      Datadog President Amit Agarwal on Trends in...

      James Maguire - November 11, 2022 0
      I spoke with Amit Agarwal, President of Datadog, about infrastructure observability, from current trends to key challenges to the future of this rapidly growing...
      Read more
      Cloud

      IGEL CEO Jed Ayres on Edge and...

      James Maguire - June 14, 2022 0
      I spoke with Jed Ayres, CEO of IGEL, about the endpoint sector, and an open source OS for the cloud; we also spoke about...
      Read more
      IT Management

      Intuit’s Nhung Ho on AI for the...

      James Maguire - May 13, 2022 0
      I spoke with Nhung Ho, Vice President of AI at Intuit, about adoption of AI in the small and medium-sized business market, and how...
      Read more
      Applications

      Kyndryl’s Nicolas Sekkaki on Handling AI and...

      James Maguire - November 9, 2022 0
      I spoke with Nicolas Sekkaki, Group Practice Leader for Applications, Data and AI at Kyndryl, about how companies can boost both their AI and...
      Read more
      Logo

      eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site’s focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

      Facebook
      Linkedin
      RSS
      Twitter
      Youtube

      Advertisers

      Advertise with TechnologyAdvice on eWeek and our other IT-focused platforms.

      Advertise with Us

      Menu

      • About eWeek
      • Subscribe to our Newsletter
      • Latest News

      Our Brands

      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms
      • About
      • Contact
      • Advertise
      • Sitemap
      • California – Do Not Sell My Information

      Property of TechnologyAdvice.
      © 2022 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

      Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.

      ×