Google Search for Yuri Gagarin Results in Malware

Investigators at GFI Software the security company are cautioning that online hunts to see photographs of Yuri Gagarin the space pioneer from Russia on Google is likely to result in malware on their computers.

Apparently since April 12, 2011, Internet miscreants have been running one BHSEO (Black Hat Search Engine Optimization) scam whilst there was a worldwide celebration of Gagarin in observance of space exploration. Notably, on April 12, 1961, Yuri Gagarin the Russian cosmonaut was that human being who first traveled across outer space while on Vostok 1 spacecraft.

Says GFI, numerous Web-surfers hunted online for pictures and information about Yuri Gagarin and like always, cyber-criminals this time too didn't lose the opportunity for exploiting a theme, which drew tremendous public attention.

Notes Senior Threat Researcher Christopher Boyd at the security unit of GFI Software, the top search return for Gagarin's picture on Google is presently utilizing as bait one relatively fine picture on Imagebucket that actually diverts Web-surfers from thetouristguide.com onto different fake anti-virus or scareware sites. Sunbeltblog.blogspot.com published this on April 14, 2011.

Further according to Boyd, the scareware that cyber-criminals are delivering is called AntiSpy 2011. In this scam also, false alerts are generated that malware has infected end-users' computers followed with suggestions that they should buy the rogue anti-malware product that in reality is a malware program itself, GFI highlights.

Besides, VirusTotal has shown that from its total of 40 anti-virus products, 18 are able to detect AntiSpy 2011.

Meanwhile, it deserves notice that the outcomes of VirusTotal are likely to go on changing with cyber-criminals continuously posting fresh editions of their rogue anti-virus programs, according to Boyd.

Moreover, the above kinds of scareware campaigns disturbingly outline that there is an increasing trend of success for cyber-criminals who launch such programs.

However, for remaining safe from their attacks, security specialists suggest all Web-surfers who may get any anti-virus alert that they should be suspicious of it as well as verify if the alert is real. Besides, users must load security software onto their computers while making sure that it is up-to-date, from time to time.

Related article: Google Rectifies Gmail flaw in Three Days

» SPAMfighter News - 4/25/2011