As Valentine's Day nears, security experts are issuing warnings of fresh attacks targeting the holiday.
McAfee has reported a new round of attacks targeting user who search for information and files relating to the holiday.
According to McAfee Labs director Dave Marcus, attackers have used search engine optimisation techniques to force malicious sites high on result pages for common searches on Valentine's Day. The attack sites promise items such as screen savers, wallpapers and e-cards.
"It’s like clockwork, ain’t it? A popular holiday, such as Valentine’s Day, approaches and malware authors and cybercriminals ready for it," Marcus wrote in a blog posting.
In addition to avoiding suspicious links and unsolicited messages, users are advised to keep their systems updated and use well-maintained security software to minimize the risk of infection.
The use of current events and holidays has become a favoured tactic for malware writers in recent years. Malware botnets such as Storm and Dref-AB have used the disguise of holiday cards and greeting sites to infect new users.
No comments:
Post a Comment