Security Researchers Caution about Gadhafi Malware Attacks

Security researchers alert that following the killing of Libya's Colonel Gadhafi, a wave of assaults spreading malware, may occur. The Walls Street Journal published this on October 20, 2011.

Initially, it maybe social-networking websites through which the assaults will occur followed with search engines, the researchers add.

Senior Technology Consultant Graham Cluley for Sophos says that malware-laden web-links are anticipated in the aftermath of Gadhafi's assassination. The Walls Street Journal reported this.

The expert further says that when Osama bin Laden was killed, several web-links appeared proliferating across Facebook which in general related to apparent 'secret movie clips on Osama's shooting.' But the web-links led onto malware sites.

Cluley continues that the recent Gadhafi killing will surely make major news story, with cyber-criminals very well aware of people who would eagerly search online for updates and consequently follow web-links devoid of giving second thoughts.

In fact, web-links are already getting distributed across Twitter.com which visitors are clicking devoid of pondering over them. However, no malware links have thus far been observed, Cluley notes.

Moreover, alongside assaults through social media, the researchers conjecture that online crooks may execute BHSEO (Black-Hat Search Engine Optimization) assaults. According to them, efforts for corrupting search engine returns from keywords associated with Gadhafi's death may emerge on the higher rankings among the search engine results. Consequently, such BHSEO assault URLs pushing scareware may occur outstandingly within search results. BHSEO poisoned assaults of such types also happen after natural calamities. However, in Gadhafi's instance, there mayn't be any bogus charity website scam, with possibilities of drawing victims even less likely, the researchers add.

Lastly, the researchers warn that there maybe "419 scams" also called "advance fee frauds" spreading. These may offer unimaginable rewards to the greedy in return of assistance for moving out Gadhafi's immense property from Libya alternatively, out of banks within the world's other countries.

Basic argument: users must rely only on trustworthy sources for getting updates of breaking news. Incase the websites don't provide the news or any photographs, it could mean that the visitor is going to be hacked or attacked with malware, the researchers conclude.

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