Here’s what you need to do to get the 90 days for FREE Bitdefender antivirus kit.

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The scenario is simple: an infected contact engages into a conversation with the victim, initially by greeting them. The screenshot below was taken during a conversation with one of my Romanian fellows who hardly know any English. Obviously replying with junk didn’t bother him too much, so the bot at the other end kept detailing on the purpose of the conversation.

Once the link is clicked, it will take the user to a website where a script ensures that you are indeed a victim and not someone who would like to pry into the system. For this reason, your user-agent, IP address and “invitecode” ID are checked. If any of these checks fail, you’ll get redirected to google.com or you’ll be served an empty page rather than the malicious content.

If your background check stands, you’ll get redirected to a survey page where you are asked 11 questions and challenged to beat the IQ of 144. Of course, what you get is a random score between 110 and 138, along with the prize: a ringtone for your cell, which you have to claim by submitting your phone number and confirming the password you will receive.

Once you have confirmed your cell number, get ready to receive premium-rate MMS messages that will punch you a pretty large hole in your budget.

This is just one of the circumstances in which your lack of security could actually expose your contacts to scams and fraud. As always, ensure that you minimize risks by running an updated security solution. Also, if you receive suspicious messages coming from your contacts, please make sure that you don’t click anything without having direct confirmation from the other contact that the link has been sent voluntarily.

Pay extra attention to the fact that some IM bots can engage in complex conversations, as they are instructed to provide answers based on keywords. For instance, they may react to keywords such as “scam”, “bot”, “virus” and “malware” with assuring sentences about the legitimacy of the message. Some others react to swear words, which make their illicit activity less suspicious to the victim.

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Infographic by Computer School

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The aim of this Trojan is twofold:

• on the one hand any SSL-based authentication session allowing access to online banking, e-mail and social network accounts may get intercepted and the confidential data stolen, since every time a person logs in, Trojan.Downloader.Carberp.A steals the credentials (even before they get to be encrypted) and sends them to its C&C server over HTTP. By the time the log in request reaches the bank the credentials, will, unfortunately, have already fallen in the hands of the attackers.
• on the other hand, Trojan.Downloader.Carberp.A also targets certain banks (in Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands, US and Israel) following precise instructions which it receives from the C&C server along with the configuration instructions.

This sophisticated approach to the by now classic man-in-the-browser attacks provides a lucrative financial tool designed to steal money especially from online service customers and SMBs. It is worth mentioning Trojan.Downloader.Carberp.A’s ability to install without administrator privileges, its ability to attack systems that run the latest versions of OSs and the fact that it doesn’t make any changes in the Registry.

Download Carberp Free Removal Tool

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Spam messages direct potential victims to a website that offers links to download a Windows executable called blackra1n.exe. The application claims to offer an unlock utility but instead it changes default DNS settings on infected Windows PCs, hijacking internet connections in the process.

Identified by BitDefender as Trojan.BAT.AACL, this piece of malware comes as a Windows batch file packed alongside the iPhone jailbreaking application. The Trojan attempts to change the preferred DNS server address for several possible Internet connections on the users’ computers to 188.210.[REMOVED]. This allows the malware creators to intercept the victims’ calls to reach Internet sites and to redirect them to their own malware-laden versions of those sites.

The precise purpose of the malware in this case seems to be to infect compromised Windows PCs with yet more crud, earning hackers affiliate revenues in the process. The Trojan affects only the host Windows PC, not any connected iPhone.

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1. An anti-virus is a must

For a first hand protection an anti-virus software is a must for your Windows system. There’s a long list of Internet security suites like Norton, Kaspersky, BitDefender and McAfee that offer a variety of tools, from spyware and malware detection to real-time protection against websites with infected code. Some of these even protect your inbox from infected attachments and phishing emails. In case can’t afford a security suite, there are several individual free anti-virus software available for download.

However, free editions of these programs are unable to offer real time protection, rather they can root out the regular anti-virus programs. They are especially good for fighting malware and viruses.

Once you have the security software in place you can set it to run and update regularly.

2. Be cautious when engaging in Peer-to-peer networking

Peer-to-peer (P2P) networking has grown in to a major concern owing to the viruses. Attackers incorporate spyware, viruses, Trojan horses, and worms into their free downloads. The browse host is one of the major features with P2P programs that allows others to directly connect to your computer and browse through file shares. Avoid P2P file sharing programs like Limewire, Bearshare, Gnutella, Morpheus, etc.

P2P file sharing might accidentally provide access to logins, user IDs and passwords, Quicken files and credit reports, and personal information such as letters, chat logs, cookies, and emails etc.

3. How to stop virus infection from pen drive

Most of you know that infected pen drive are major sources of virus infection. Even if you have an anti-virus it might fail to tackle the latest virus or it might be that your antivirus is not updated.

Step 1: Modify the files and folders settings to show the hidden files

Step 2: Uncheck the Hide extension for known files options to show the extension of files. This will reveal which type of file we are dealing with.

Step 3: Now uncheck the option hide protected operating system files.

Note: Most of the virus script are configured to hidden and are created as system files.

Step 4: You shouldn’t open the pen drive by double clicking on the "removable drive" icon, as the script will be written in such a way that the double click will execute the virus. Even a right click and Open  might execute the virus.

Alternately, you should open the pen drive using the drop down menu from the address bar of your explorer.

Step 5: Once the drive is opened delete the autorun.inf and delete the files you suspect to be viruses that you didn’t add. It’s easy to identify the malicious files as they mostly have extensions such as .com, .bat, .exe etc.

Step 6: Remove the pen drive and reconnect it

4. Avoid installing Bootleg or Pirated Software

Most of the popular software packages have high prices and can burn a hole in your pocket. This compels most of you to get the bootleg versions that are freely available on Internet file sharing utilities such as FreeNet and Gnutella. These bootlegs serve a conduit to disseminate virus across the Internet.

Never install an application directly from Internet. First download it to your harddisk, scan it with your anti-virus and then install it. Moreover, don’t download applications from unfamiliar sites.

5. Install a Firewall

Configure your firewall to prohibit any unsolicited inbound or outbound communication. This is essential to protect against hackers attack. Additionally, several malicious programs run and spread via the internet connection without your knowledge. By prohibiting such unauthorized outbound requests you can stop the spread of these programs.

6. Open email attachment cautiously

Avoid opening email attachments that you receive from an unknown address. In case you are in doubt save the attachment to a harddisk and scan it with your anti-virus software. Open it only when you are assured that it is clean. Try to read your email messages in text format rather than HTML.

7. Switch off the preview feature in email browser

In most email systems you have the option to "Preview" email attachments. For instance you can preview an image without having to double click it to open. It allows some  computer virus programs to go ahead and execute the program.

In order to prevent this, go to the settings or options or settings and switch it off.

8. Keep passwords safe

Don’t enter your User ID or password unless you see the Lock icon at the bottom screen (Internet Explorer) and check that web address starts with https://. Change the passwords often to save it from hacking attacks.

9. What to do after a virus attack

Did you notice something suspicious with your computer such as frequent pop-up’s, the computer or connection slow down considerably, repeated re-boots, mouse or keyboard freeze, strange message and alerts. Stop whatever you are doing, disconnect it from the internet or any other network you are working on and perform a full system scan for malware immediately. Restart the computer and update your Internet security suite.

10. Use the most secured browser

Upgrade your browser, always use the latest version available. if use Internet Explorer, upgrade to IE8, it offers a SmartScreen filter that allows users to surf websites that are labeled in Microsoft’s database as legitimate or malacious. To enable this option you can go to the Safety menu. It also notes the Cross-site scripting and other websites that are high-risk zones.

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Do you really need administrator privileges?

Los Angeles security firm BeyondTrust has released an analysis of Microsoft’s 75 security bulletins last year. They came to the startling conclusion that if users had operated their computers without administrative rights they would have eliminated 64 percent of their risk from Microsoft vulnerabilities!

By examining all of the published Microsoft vulnerabilities in 2009 and all of the published Windows 7 vulnerabilities to date, this report quantifies the continued effectiveness of removing administrator rights at mitigating vulnerabilities in Microsoft software.

Key findings from this report show that removing administrator rights will better protect companies against the exploitation of:

• 90% of Critical Windows 7 vulnerabilities reported to date
• 100% of Microsoft Office vulnerabilities reported in 2009
• 94% of Internet Explorer and 100% of IE 8 vulnerabilities reported in 2009
• 64% of all Microsoft vulnerabilities reported in 2009

Setting up a non-admin account for normal use has been good advice for years. Maybe this report will help emphasize it to a lot of users who wouldn’t have thought it important enough to bother with.

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Due to a recent update for Windows 64-bit systems it is possible that BitDefender detects several Windows and BitDefender files as infected with Trojan.FakeAlert.5 .

If you are able to log on to Windows but BitDefender is not working please follow these steps:

1.Save this patch and run it on your PC:

• If you are using BitDefender 2010 click here
• If you are using BitDefender 2009 click here

2. Reboot your PC and perform a BitDefender update to make sure you have the latest virus definitions.

IMPORTANT: After running the patch it is possible that some files are still left in the Quarantine. This is normal as Windows automatically restores some of it’s files, therefore BitDefender will not be able to move the ones in the Quarantine over the ones already present on the PC.

If you are not able to log on to Windows you will need to:

1. Reboot your PC and choose Start Windows Normally when you reach the menu.

2. Insert your Windows CD and reboot.

3. Wait while the disc image loads properly.

4. Choose your language and region then click Next.

5. Make sure to select Repair your Computer in the left corner of the screen. Do not choose Install Now.

6. Choose your Operating System and click Next.

7. Wait for the process to finish properly and then click Finish.

IMPORTANT! It is possible that the Repair procedure may not work from the first time. If it fails, reboot the PC and run the procedure again as it should work in maximum 3 attempts.

8. After you log on to Windows save this patch and then run it on your PC:

• If you are using BitDefender 2010 click here

• If you are using BitDefender 2009 click here

9. Reboot your PC, open BitDefender and perform an update to make sure you have the latest virus definitions.

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1. Save this patch and run it on your PC:

• If you are using BitDefender 2010 click here
• If you are using BitDefender 2009 click here

2. Reboot your PC and perform a BitDefender update to make sure you have the latest virus definitions.

IMPORTANT: After running the patch it is possible that some files are still left in the Quarantine. This is normal as Windows automatically restores some of it’s files, therefore BitDefender will not be able to move the ones in the Quarantine over the ones already present on the PC.

If you are not able to log on to Windows you will need to:

1. Reboot your PC and select Launch Startup Repair.

2. Allow a few moments for the process to finish.

3. Click Finish and reboot your PC.

IMPORTANT! It is possible that the Repair procedure may not work from the first time. If it fails, reboot the PC and run the procedure again as it should work in maximum 3 attempts.

4. After you log on to Windows save this patch and then run it on your PC:

• If you are using BitDefender 2010 click here

• If you are using BitDefender 2009 click here

5. Reboot your PC, open BitDefender and perform an update to make sure you have the latest virus definitions.

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If you are using Windows XP and are able to boot in Windows, but BitDefender is not working, please follow these steps:

1.Save this patch and run it on your PC:

• If you are using BitDefender 2010 click here

• If you are using BitDefender 2009 click here

2. Reboot your PC, open BitDefender and perform an update to make sure you have the latest virus definitions.

If you consider that the patch did not run properly you can also run it in Safe Mode. Instructions on how to reboot in Safe Mode can be found on BitDefender KnowledgeBase.

IMPORTANT: After running the patch it is possible that some files are still left in the Quarantine. This is normal as Windows automatically restores some of it’s files, therefore BitDefender will not be able to move the ones in the Quarantine over the ones already present on the PC.

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