- Twitter Trend Topics directing users to dangerous sites
- Avoid clicking any content containing TwitterBest.mp or Zasaden.mp
- ESET recommends running a system scan and a PC restart
Twitter - one of the most widely-used social networking sites faces attacks of rogue-antivirus products and social engineering. The scammers are entering en-masse their Twitter statuses using keywords, such as "Twitterbest "and "Zasaden" in effect elevating the URLs to the so-called Twitter Trend Topics – the most frequently used terms. These are then connected to rogue links, usually containing a "catchy" phrase, such as one referring to pornographic content.
By clicking a link, affiliated with the status keyword (TwitterBest.mp or Zasaden.mp), the user is directed to fake websites containing malicious code. ESET urges its clients to refrain from clicking these sites as they typically urge the visitor to consent with a utility update, such as a Flash player or contain some other malicious application. Upon consenting with the download, the malicious software becomes installed and the user receives a false notice of an infiltration in his/her computer. Subsequently, an offer to download a "Fast Anti-Virus 2009" appears.
According to Juraj Malcho, the head of ESET VirusLab, "Rogue- Antivirus solutions and other forms of malicious application present a danger because they can lure significant amount of money from an unskilled user. Moreover, this form of malware tends to employ pesky dialog boxes, which are a drag on productivity".
Even as recently as a year ago, ESET experts have in numerous articles predicted the increase of the so-called rogue Antivirus solutions. To those ESET clients who encounter this form of threat, we recommend to carry out an in-depth scan of the PC without a delay, followed by a system restart.
Twitter statuses directing users to malicious sites:
About ESET
Founded in 1992, ESET is a global provider of security solutions forenterprises and consumers. ESET is a market leader in proactivedetection of malware. Thanks to its ThreatSense.Net® technology, it isable to collect data on a volunteer basis from users all around theworld, allowing it to react flexibly to emerging threats. It‘s ESETNOD32 Antivirus has been ranked by the independent AV-Comparativestesting lab as the best antivirus product worldwide (2006, 2007). ESEThas offices in Bratislava, SK; San Diego, USA; Prague, Czech Republic;Buenos Aires, Argentina; and has an extensive partner network in 160countries. In 2008, ESET has opened a new research center in Krakow,Poland. ESET was named to Deloitte’s Technology Fast 500 one of thefastest-growing technology companies in the region of Europe, MiddleEast and Africa.