Michael Jacksons' unknown killer

July 2009 Information Security

A few new spam waves (four different strains) hit our inboxes since Michael Jacksons' death and guess who the main character was? Malware writers are fast at adapting news to spread their own evil creations or schemes and this event was no different.

1. Advertising sexual enhancement drugs

The email body of this spam message looks like this:

Michael Jackson dead? NO!!!

http://ad[removed]ous.com/

The subject of the message is: Michael Jackson dead? NO!!!

2. Spreading malware

The body of this spam message looked like this:

Michael Jackson Was Killed...

But Who Killed Michael Jackson?

Visit X-Files to see the answer:

http://MJac[removed]ij.com/x-files

The subject of the message is: Who killed Michael Jackson?

The file presented as 'the file with secret information' about Michael Jacksons' killer is nothing but a recycled ZBot, more specifically Trojan.Spy.Zbot.UI, detected as Trojan.Spy.ZBot.VG this time. ZBot is known to transform the infected machines into spamming relays, sending hundreds of messages without the users knowledge or consent, consuming valuable network and computing resources.

More details about about spam could be find on www.malwarecity.com

For more information contact Alina Anton, senior PR and marketing coordinator, EMEA and APAC Business Unit, Bitdefender, +40 212 063 470, [email protected], www.bitdefender.com

Share this article:

There is a SaaS for everything, but at what cost, especially to SMEs?
Editor's Choice Information Security Security Services & Risk Management
Relying on SaaS platforms presents significant cybersecurity risks as the number of providers in your landscape increases, expanding your attack surface. It is important to assess the strength of the SaaS providers in your chain.

Read more...

Addressing today’s mining challenges: cyber risks beyond IT
Editor's Choice Information Security Mining (Industry)
Despite the mining industry’s operational technology systems being vulnerable to cyberattacks, many decision-makers still see these threats as purely an IT issue, even though a breach could potentially disrupt mining operations.

Read more...

Get proactive with cybersecurity
Information Security
The ability to respond effectively to a cybersecurity breach is critical, but the missing piece of the puzzle is a thorough, proactive evaluation to ascertain weaknesses and identify any hidden threats.

Read more...

How to effectively share household devices
Smart Home Automation Information Security
Sharing electronic devices within a household is unavoidable. South African teens spend over eight hours per day online, making device sharing among family members commonplace. Fortunately, there are methods to guarantee safe usage for everyone.

Read more...

How to securely manage your digital footprint
Information Security Training & Education
Managing your online presence is critical to safeguarding your privacy and security. It is imperative to take a proactive approach, including using robust cybersecurity best practices.

Read more...

The state of code security in 2024
Information Security
The 2024 State of Code Security survey reveals that organisations have continued to shore up application security defences over the last year, according to OpenText Premier Partner iOCO Application Management.

Read more...

What is the level of safety and integrity of the software supply chain?
Information Security IoT & Automation
Organisations are embracing AppSec practices and focusing on their software security posture. However, they highlight that insufficient funding and security resources, plus a disconnect between developers and security teams, remain major roadblocks.

Read more...

Cybercriminals target financial service providers to get at sensitive client data
Information Security
According to Ryan van de Coolwijk, Product Head for cyber at iTOO Special Risks, hackers target financial service providers because they hold sensitive client information that unauthorised individuals could use for fraudulent activities.

Read more...

Fortinet establishes new point-of-presence in South Africa
News & Events Information Security
Fortinet has announced the launch of a new dedicated point-of-presence (POP) in Isando, Johannesburg, to expand the reach and availability of Fortinet Unified SASE for customers across South Africa and southern African countries.

Read more...

Categories

Michael Jacksons' unknown killer

Further reading:

Published by Technews