IT security and control firm Sophos is warning computer users to be on their guard against unsolicited e-mails following a widespread spam campaign that claims to contain a link to a sex video of Barack Obama.
Sophos experts note that cyber-criminals are never slow to jump on an opportunity to spread their malware and this is no exception. However, users that click on the link will not see the video they expected, but will download a Trojan horse known as Mal/Hupig-D onto their computers - giving the hackers access to confidential information, which can be used to commit identity theft.
Samples intercepted by Sophos reveal that the e-mails claim to come from infonews@obama.com, and have the subject line 'Obama sex video!!!' The e-mail reads as follows:
'Sensation!!! United States Senator for Illinois Barack Obama in 2007 was travel to Ukraine and have sex action with many ukrainian girls! You may view this private porno in a flash video. Download and view now. Please send this news to your friends!
Obama it's not right choice!!!'
"This malware is probably the first in a string of attacks designed to pique victims' interest and trick them into clicking on the URL," says Brett Myroff, CEO of regional Sophos distributor, Sophos South Africa. "This is one of the oldest tricks in the book, but it's obviously still working or the cyber-criminals wouldn't use it anymore.
"All computer users need to exercise caution when checking their e-mails and not get carried away with what seems to be a scandalous story."
Sophos experts note that normally in these types of malware attacks, the Trojan horse is simply installed rather than the promised video being shown. In this case, however, users who click on the link in the e-mails download an executable file, which does display a pornographic video (albeit one not starring Barack Obama) as it installs malicious code in the background.
What appears to be an amateur porn movie is displayed on the computer screen while the malware infects the user's Windows PC with spyware.
Sophos customers have been proactively protected against Mal/Hupig-D since April. Sophos recommends users of other security products ensure their IT security solutions are up-to-date.
For more information, including pictures of the dangerous e-mail and the video that is played, please visit: http://www.sophos.com/blogs/gc/g/2008/09/10/barack-obama-sex-video.
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Netxactics, trading as Sophos South Africa, is a South African-based company focused on the provision of security solutions. It is the Master Distributor for UK-based Sophos Plc, one of the leaders in the provision of network access control and endpoint, e-mail and Web security and control solutions for the corporate environment. For more information, visit Sophos South Africa at www.sophos.co.za.
Sophos
Sophos enables enterprises worldwide to secure and control their IT infrastructure. Our network access control, endpoint, web and e-mail solutions simplify security to provide integrated defences against malware, spyware, intrusions, unwanted applications, spam, policy abuse, data leakage and compliance drift. With over 20 years of experience, we protect over 100 million users in nearly 150 countries with our reliably engineered security solutions and services. Recognised for our high level of customer satisfaction, we have an enviable history of industry awards, reviews and certifications. Sophos is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts and Oxford, UK.
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