New Scareware Distribution Scam is Going on Across Twitter - - Warning From Panda Security

Researchers from Panda Labs, the research laboratory of Panda Security the security company caution that a scareware distribution scam is going on across Twitter that's utilizing both compromised legitimate accounts and bogus user accounts for disseminating malevolent web-links.

The related spam mails, according to the researchers, which talk about an extremely good anti-virus downloadable from http://goo.gl/[censored], however, take onto a harmful web-page exhibiting bogus security warnings which reportedly suit every browser. Thus, users of Firefox, say, will find one bogus warning page that's usually displayed while attempts are made to access a blacklisted web-address.

Moreover, the bogus Firefox warning page's message appears considerably varied from one that is real. According to this message, users are told of a fast security scan for malicious programs that's being carried out. Once completed, the message asserts about numerous problems that have been discovered on the users' computers therefore they must take down security applications that apparently Mozilla recommended.

But, the recommended application in reality is rogue anti-virus software called ThinkPoint, which prevents users from getting onto their desktops.

Consequently, computer operators begin to perform a system reboot, but on doing so, the rogueware penetrates the computer even deeper. As a result, the victims are forced to acquiesce paying up for removing the malicious programs from their systems.

However, according to the PandaLabs researchers, there's an easy tactic with which users can get around this restriction. That is, opening the fake anti-virus application's settings menu and clicking on "Allow Unprotected Startup." Thereafter, an anti-malware program must be installed and run for eliminating the threats.

Furthermore, the researchers also suggest that end-users should be certain as well as cautious while choosing the posts on Twitter failing which they may land up in trouble like in the recent case.

Meanwhile, PandaLabs forecasts that similar scareware scams through social networks are expected through 2011.

Ultimately, it's because of these kinds of malicious happenings that scareware scams have surged online. In its new report, Panda Security states that a huge 40% of completely new FAKEAV (fake anti-virus) applications were unleashed during 2010 that contaminated more than 5% PCs across the globe.