Halloween may be a wrap, but scareware attacks haunt computers year-round
Originally published November 01, 2009
There are some days when you might get more messages from your computer than you do from a family member. Chances are, the more you use it, the more it "talks" to you. "Low battery" is a common warning, but the list of exceptions and messages reads like an encyclopedia. With the weather turning chilly, folks will soon be curled up on the couch with a laptop pounding the Internet in search of holiday deals. But just as you shouldn't go out in the cold without your coat, you need to take precautions to protect yourself and your computer before you go online. The Trap In mid-September, visitors to The New York Times' website suddenly received a pop-up window -- which looked like a message from their own computer -- warning that their computer had been infected with a virus. The user was then told to visit a website to purchase and download anti-virus software that would fix the problem. The supposed antivirus software actually installed even more viruses and malware onto the computer -- and the user's credit card number was now in the hands of hackers. According to The New York Times, the pop up was generated by an unauthorized ad. The publisher later learned it had sold ad space to hackers posing as Vonage. Click Forensics reported the attack was the work of Ukrainian cybercrooks. Computer experts are reporting that scareware -- yet another sneaky technique used by hackers to steal personal information and spread viruses online -- is on the rise. Most recently, companies like Google, Twitter and The New York Times have been exploited by hackers as part of a massive scareware attack on consumers. Your BBB gets inquiries on a regular basis from local victims of scareware attacks. "But it told me I had a worm. Now I know it was the worm," a recent caller reported. Bottom Line According to Computer World magazine, hackers are not only using pop-up ads, they are also "poisoning Google search results." Hackers monitor the news and hot topics online -- such as the death of Patrick Swayze and the U.S. Open -- and through search engine optimization techniques are able to ensure that their websites are the top results. Victims who click on the fake search results receive a scareware pop-up. Microsoft has been warning the public that scareware attacks are escalating and now the company is fighting back. The company filed lawsuits against five companies, accusing them of being the source of scareware attacks. Sadly, the threat of scareware undermines consumer trust in compromised websites and on the Internet in general, but there are steps you can take to protect your computer and your personal information. Tips from Your Better Business Bureau Never let your guard down. A scareware attack can happen on trusted news sites such as The New York Times, in search engines results from Google, and even now on Twitter. Protect your computer. Install updates to your operating system, purchase antivirus software from a name you trust and keep that software up-to- date. Also make sure that all security patches and updates are installed for your web browser and programs like Adobe Flash Player. Take immediate action during an attack. If you receive a scareware pop-up window, experts recommend forcing the window to close through your task manager. To do this, hold down ctrl, alt and delete at the same time, open your task manager, find the browser in the list of running programs and click "end task." Finally, run an antivirus scan with legitimate, trusted software. If you clicked on the pop-up and actually purchased the software, the prognosis is not good. If you don't consider yourself tech savvy, you'll probably need to get professional help. For advice on fighting off hackers, staying safe online and choosing a company you can trust, visit www.bbb.org. Been the victim of a scam -- or nearly one? E-mail us at scamALERT@greatermd.bbb.org and tell us if you think you've identified a suspect company, website, or tactic and we'll investigate.
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