the 07/23/2008

Beware of streams bearing gifts

Beware of streams bearing gifts

 Beware of streams bearing gifts

Hackers are now using ASF (Advanced System Format) to trick PC users into installing malicious software . If you’re not familiar with ASF, it’s aMicrosoft-defined container format for media streams that containadditional content like links to websites and images. Youdon’t see it around quite as much these days (most sites useFLV or some such these days) but it’s still out there. Clickbelow for more info on how these villains are spiking the venerableformat.

The hackers use an ASF to send the user to a website to download acodec when the file is played (as if that ever works). Of course,the codec is really a trojan. This kind of trickery has been goingon for years, so savvy computer users may be able to catch this onebefore they install it.

Once installed, the Trojan horse installs a proxy on the computerfor Hackers to route traffic though. This is handy for them, sinceit helps them hide their tracks when doing evil things. The Trojanalso acts like a worm and wraps all MP3 files on the infectedmachine with the same nasty ASF trickery.

Secure Computing had this advice to offer, “Users downloadingfrom P2P networks need to exercise caution anyway, but should alsobe sensitive to pop-ups appearing upon playing a downloaded videoor audio stream.”