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September 12, 2008

Hackers use internet suspension email to spread virus

Attachment claims to detail recipient's 'illegal online activity'

Carrie-Ann Skinner

Cyber criminals are tricking web users into thinking they will be disconnected from the web as a way to infect PCs with a malicious Trojan horse virus.

According to security firm Sophos, emails with the subject 'Your internet access is going to get suspended' are being received by net users across the globe. The email, which is supposed to have been sent by the 'ICS Monitoring Team' claims that the recipient has been conducting illegal activities online and is accompanied by a .zip attachment supposed to contain details of the alleged misdemeanours. In fact, the file contains a Trojan horse virus and if opened will infect the users PC.

"Recent piracy cases will worry web users, especially those who may be using unsecured Wi-Fi - they'll want to open the attachment to make sure that someone else hasn't been using their connection to download copyrighted movies or music. Unfortunately by then it's too late, and they could have handed access to their computer and files to the hackers," says Graham Cluley senior technology consultant at Sophos.

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