A great story from the BBC has hapless computer users falling victim to fake anti-virus software. Symantec, makers of ligetimate anti-virus software, say that more than 40 million people have been duped into downloading the malicious software in the last year. (If I were more synical, I might say that this figure is exaggerated to benefit legitimate anti-virus software companies. Are people really that stupid?)
There are many different versions of this type of software. Symantec have identified more than 250 variations in the field. However a typical attack senario would be that the user visits a web site and a pop-up advert appears explaining that their computer has been infected by a virus and that it can be removed using anti-virus software which can be downloaded at a website. If the user is stupid enough to click on the banner,they will be taken to a suitably convincing website and will have to pay up to £60 to download and install the scam software on their machine.
So not only have you been parted from your money, but you have given your bank details and the software is installed on your computer. Potentially this could result in hijacking and ransoming your data, giving someone else control of your computer and network, identity theft.
Ignore pop-up advertising. It is always an underhand way of gaining attention and should be treated as being from scammers or people trying to scam you. The internet is still like the wild-west and any information you get from it should be treated with great suspicion (except this post). If in doubt then don’t download it.
With the computer user being the weak link in computer security, only education can help to prevent this kind of crime.

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