Two internet scams using a Valentine’s theme are doing the rounds, which try and trick users in to downloading malicious software, says security software company PC Tools.One of the scams involves seemingly legitimate websites offering kits to create Valentine’s Day flash e-cards.
“as time-poor individuals are increasingly seeking alternative ways and new technologies to find love, cybercriminals recognise this trend and apply more advanced and sophisticated techniques to target the digitally active consumer,” said Michael Greene, Vice President Product Strategy, PC Tools.
PC Tools is urging the digitally active consumer to use comprehensive behaviour-based security protection against love-themed Web 2.0 threats this Valentine’s Day.
“Using adult and dating websites or social networking applications is risky business. Cybercriminals can easily access personal details such as your date of birth on your social networking profile for fraudulent purposes like identity theft or financial fraud” said Greene.
On Valentine’s Day, cybercriminals most commonly target the love-struck and single, using a range of phishing and socially engineered techniques that deliver Valentine’s and love-themed infected files or emails and messages with affectionate invitations to visit websites which attempt to gain access to a consumer’s PC.
PC Tools has identified that Waledac makers are distributing links to new malicious websites. Clicking on an image on one of these pages results in a download of various names: loveprogramm.exe, ecard.exe, postcard.exe, lovekit.exe, mylove.exe, runme.exe, loveexe.exe. While the files themselves are obfuscated to conceal their malicious intentions, Waledac makers are coercing users to download a file by offering of a kit to create a Valentine’s Day flash e-card.
