Scammers Use Rogue Disk Defraggers in Fresh Trick

Security researchers from GFI Sunbelt warn that fake software programs for disk de-fragmentation are circulating online.

These programs display false alerts based on which users are directed to buy them so they can repair the supposed problems on their systems.

Further, these rogue de-fragmentation applications commonly offer end-users solutions for disk faults apparently affecting their PCs. They're named differently such as HDDRepair, HDDDiagnostic, HDDPlus and HDDRescue, while they're designed to perplex users via evading real anti-malware programs. Reportedly, it was in November 2010 that the defragger copies first appeared when they were called WinHDD, ScanDisk and UltraDefragger that posed as scrutinizing for HDD write/read faults.

Remarked the security researchers, ever-since 7 years-or-so when fake software started to circulate, the rogues, every time, had posed as anti-virus or anti-spyware programs, copying genuine anti-virus applications both with respect to their appearance and product names.

Explaining such fake anti-viruses called scareware, the researchers said that the programs behaved deceptively while they asserted that malware resided on the users' PCs therefore they should purchase a recommended application, which actually did nothing other than enabling the criminals to get their hands on the users' debit/credit card details. Presently, it seemed, fresh programs were being tried for scammers to determine the most confusing ones for probable victims and ones that bypassed recognition from genuine AV applications.

Thus Security Company GFI Sunbelt cautions that people must treat all applications with suspicion when they're advertised through electronic mails. Further, they must know about pop-up alerts regarding malware issues, particularly those that follow from clicking video web-links. More tricks that scammers are using include convincing end-users to buy software prior to it rectifying the problems supposedly spotted as well as prompting them for making their browser up-to-date with a recommended update, GFI Labs states. ZDNet published this on December 15, 2010.

Besides, it's also advisable that users, to best defend themselves, should increase their awareness and act wisely. Genuine, high-quality software applications usually don't advertise with flashy pop-ups; thrust shocking assertions that they can resolve any problem within their registry; and most importantly, these generally utilize the names in their correct forms.

Related article: Scammers Exploit Tax System Resulting in ID Theft

» SPAMfighter News - 12/24/2010