Re: IM upgrade automated social engineering attack

Windows NT Workstation Windows Server 2003 Windows XP Windows 2000 Remote Code Execution Security Center Virus Infection Roman Shirokov Best regards social engineering last night trade mark sign Microsoft update users messages Affected Software vulnerable attacks installed systems

Hey all

I confirm that, I received several messages as well. The text of
message is:

WINDOWS REQUIRES IMMEDIATE ATTENTION
=============================

ATTENTION ! Security Center has detected
malware on your computer !

Affected Software:

Microsoft Windows NT Workstation
Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0
Microsoft Windows 2000
Microsoft Windows XP
Microsoft Windows Win98
Microsoft Windows Server 2003

Impact of Vulnerability: Remote Code Execution / Virus Infection /
Unexpected shutdowns

Recommendation: Users running vulnerable version should install a repair
utility immediately

Your system IS affected, download the patch from the address below !
Failure to do so may result in severe computer malfunction.http://www.alertmonitor.org/?q=updatescan


> With all the proliferation of phone home for update systems in
> even trivial software packages these days, neophyte users 
> can easily get confused about legitimate upgrades and imposters. 
> So someone is trying to take advantage of this with an 
> automated version of an old school social engineering 
> attack via Skype spam.

> Someone/something/.someone's-botnet on skype last night 
> contacted users who reported it to me. The messages were
> formatted to resemble Microsoft update messages or an AV scan
> with a link to click to update and/or repair malware in a number 
> of Microsoft products. None of the users who reported it to me 
> clicked on the link so its not clear what the installed malware 
> was after.

> A series of users with the name "Scan Alert" followed by the registered
> trade mark sign originating from a numeric range of skype userids 
> following the form:
>         scan.alert.o<number>

> ...have been sending these unsolicited messages. These id's seem
> to be registered in the US. Please warn your users to ignore and be 
> wary of social engineering attacks purporting to be upgrades via 
> IM, because without doubt the persons behind this will try other 
> variants.

> A little bit of googling indicates these folks have been active for
> at least two weeks.

> cheers,
> --dr




-- 
Best regards,

Roman Shirokov

e-mail:insecure@yandex.ru

Sic itur ad astra