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Re: Warning to Bitorrent users
A new malware scam is trying to dupe BitTorrent users into coughing up serious cash for illegally downloading copyrighted material.
The code displays a box with the message 'Warning! Piracy detected!� and opens a web page purportedly run by a Swiss company 'committed to promoting the cultural and economic benefits of copyright.�
The fake company, the ICCP Foundation, also claims to be backed by the Recording Industry Association of America, the Motion Picture Association of America and others. 'It appears to scan the user'™s hard drive for .torrent files and displays these as '™evidence'™ of an earlier infringement,� wrote TorrentFreak, which first disclosed the malware.
Victims are are warned of possible imprisonment and fines, and given the option of 'settling� the 'case� for a one-time payment of $400, by credit card.
The scam seems intended to capitalize on the recent news that an independent filmmakers association is targeting thousands of BitTorrent users in federal lawsuits, with the aim of reaching quick settlements.
Security researcher Dancho Danchev quipped Monday that the scam 'is perhaps the first recorded case of cybercriminals ignoring the basics of micropayments, and emphasizing on profit margins by attempting to extort the amount of $400.�
He thinks those behind the latest malware are associated with the Koobface worm and a money-mule recruitment campaign.
As F-Secure Labs advises: 'Refuse to pay money to these clowns!�
- tejastech08
- Rep: 194
Re: Warning to Bitorrent users
LMAO, you gotta be dumb as hell to actually put in credit card information for this. The other thing is this crap can't even run on my Mac, which is nice. haha
Re: Warning to Bitorrent users
Where does it say it can't be run on Mac. Could have a version of the software developed for both. Not wanting to go off topic but I don't see how you come to the conclusion that it can't run on Mac.
On Topic: Meh, I'm smart enough that my anti-virus software gets used once in a blue moon. I'll be fine. Thanks for the heads up though.
Re: Warning to Bitorrent users
Where does it say it can't be run on Mac. Could have a version of the software developed for both. Not wanting to go off topic but I don't see how you come to the conclusion that it can't run on Mac.
On Topic: Meh, I'm smart enough that my anti-virus software gets used once in a blue moon. I'll be fine. Thanks for the heads up though.
These things typically only target Windows users. Kinda like how Macs don't get that many viruses either.
Malware, Spyware, viruses, spamware- all of that generally is not seen on a Mac.
- tejastech08
- Rep: 194
Re: Warning to Bitorrent users
Where does it say it can't be run on Mac. Could have a version of the software developed for both. Not wanting to go off topic but I don't see how you come to the conclusion that it can't run on Mac.
On Topic: Meh, I'm smart enough that my anti-virus software gets used once in a blue moon. I'll be fine. Thanks for the heads up though.
As Saikin said, the Mac market is so small compared to Windows that the scam artists usually do not bother writing software that can run on a Mac. But even if it could, you have to be ultra stupid to allow it to run on a Mac. Macs force you to enter your computer's user password any time you install a piece of software. It tells you exactly what is being installed and asks for your password. 99.99% of the time you are installing something that you want to install.
There have been a few viruses written for Mac but they still can't install without the user's password being entered. If Windows implemented this same line of defense, it would help quite a bit. But instead you end up with millions of computers getting infected automatically with spyware, trojans, and so forth simply by surfing the Internet. That shit wouldn't even be able to install without the user's permission on a Mac, so a Mac user would have to be dumb as hell to allow it. Personally I have never come across any viruses, spyware, etc. in my 3 years of owning Mac computers.
Re: Warning to Bitorrent users
Windows does that now... and I run Windows with not antivirus software and it runs as clean as a whistle.
I know most maliciouse software is written for Windows but nowhere has it been said in this instance, that is the case.
Hell with something like this, it would make sense to write this for the Mac crowd as well as the Windows crowd. Proportionatly more Windows users are probably more tech savvy than OSX users... or we could all just run Linux.
- tejastech08
- Rep: 194
Re: Warning to Bitorrent users
Windows does that now... and I run Windows with not antivirus software and it runs as clean as a whistle.
I have Windows 7 Home Premium and it doesn't ask for a password when I install software.
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