Malware spoofs AVG web site

November 27, 2008 – 9:05 AM

A DANGEROUS new variant of malware is attacking PCs in the UK, the INQ has discovered. It hijacks the victim’s browser and directs them to a fake site masquerading as AVG’s own front page.

THE URL which the INQ has discovered is http://0fficial-page-com/AVG1. [Note that it uses a zero not a capital ‘o’.] Don’t be fooled.

According to Rick Ferguson, a senior security advisor with anti-virus specialist, Trend Micro, this type of attack isn’t original but the danger has so far received only minimal publicity.

Rick reckons the best known incidence of this attack is avg-online-scanner.com. This software tricks victims into downloading a malware app called Winspywareprotect.

Naturally, the malware ‘detects’ the existence of fake ‘threats’ and tricks the victim into paying money online to ‘remove’ the threats.

As Ferguson explained, “Cybercrime is moving away from inflicting the maximum damage in the shortest time towards remaining undetected for the longest period and extracting the maximum cash.”

Source:
http://www.theinquirer.net/gb/inquirer/news/2008/11/26/malware-spoofs-avg-web-site