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Growth Rate of New Koobface Modifications Explodes During June
(Market Wire Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) WOBURN, MA -- (MARKET WIRE) -- 07/06/09 --
Kaspersky
Lab, a leading developer of Internet threat protection solutions that
defend against computer viruses, spyware and all forms of malicious
software, saw an explosion of Koobface modifications throughout the month
of June, due to summer and vacations across the northern hemisphere. In
just one month, the number of variants detected jumped from 324 at the end
of May 2009 to almost 1000 by the end of June 2009.
Koobface, the infamous worm, was first detected by Kaspersky Lab as
Net-Worm.Win32.Koobface, and it instantly became popular when it appeared
almost one year
ago targeting Facebook and MySpace accounts. The Koobface worm is
spreading through a legitimate user's account to their friends' profiles.
Comments and messages sent by the worm contain a link to a fake YouTube
style website which invites users to download a "new version of Flash
Player." The worm, rather than a media player, is then downloaded to victim
machines. Once a user is infected, he or she will start spreading such
messages to his or her friends. In the meantime, the functionality of the
worm has been extended. Koobface is now targeting more social networking
websites like Facebook, MySpace, Hi5, Bebo, Tagged, Netlog and, most
recently, Twitter.
As social networks such as Facebook or Twitter are becoming increasingly
popular (Facebook
Alexa Ranking), attacks targeting them are also gaining momentum.
Tips for Users:
-- Be cautious when opening links coming through suspicious messages, even
if the sender is one of your trusted Facebook friends.
-- Use either Internet Explorer 8 running in protected
mode or Firefox with NoScript
installed.
-- Divulge as little personal information as possible. Do not give out
your home address, phone number or other private details.
-- Keep your antivirus software updated to prevent new versions of malware
from attacking your computer.
Kaspersky Lab users running any of the Company's current anti-malware
products are fully protected from all known variants of
Net-Worm.Win32.Koobface. Kaspersky Lab's global team of analysts are
keeping a close eye on all threats coming from the social networking space,
monitoring the malicious activity and constantly updating the protection
customers receive.
Quote:
Stefan Tanase, Malware Researcher
Kaspersky Lab
"This sign of increased cybercriminal activity involving social networks in
the past month proves that the strategies being used by the bad guys to
infect users are much more efficient when adding the social context to
their attacks. June 2009 marks an important milestone in the evolution of
social networking malware: the activity we've seen this month exceeds by
far any other month in the past."
About Kaspersky Lab
Kaspersky Lab delivers the world's most immediate protection against IT
security threats, including viruses, spyware, crimeware, hackers, phishing,
and spam. Kaspersky Lab products provide superior detection rates and the
industry's fastest outbreak response time for home users, SMBs, large
enterprises and the mobile computing environment. Kaspersky® technology
is used worldwide inside the products and services of the industry's
leading IT security solution providers. Learn more at
www.kaspersky.com. For the latest on antivirus,
anti-spyware, anti-spam and other IT security issues and trends, visit
www.viruslist.com.
Image Available: http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/frame_mw?attachid=1016637
Media Contact:
Christen Rice
Kaspersky Lab Americas
P: + 1 781 503 2625
E: christen.rice@kaspersky.com
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