Jpw48 Posted May 8, 2008 Share Posted May 8, 2008 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7389529.stm Fake media file snares PC users The fake file claims to be an mp3 of Girls Aloud Almost 500,000 people have been caught out by a booby-trapped media file, says security firm McAfee. The fake file poses as a music track, short video or movie and has been widely seeded on file-sharing networks to snare victims. McAfee said the fake media file outbreak was the largest it had seen for about three years. Those running the fake file get bombarded with pop-up ads and risk compromising the safety of their PC. The fake file or trojan has been widely distributed on the eDonkey and Limewire file-sharing networks. The file has many names and is written in different languages to trick people into downloading it. The titles make the file appear to be music tracks, pornography and full versions of popular movies. Anyone downloading the trojan and trying to run it is asked to install a codec that will play the supposed media. Instead of playing the media, running the file installs a bundle of adware that plagues a user with pop-ups. Included in the bundle is an MP3 media player that will only play the tracks included with it. McAfee said seeing such a large outbreak was rare because hi-tech criminals typically prefer to target their malicious creations to keep numbers manageable and to avoid detection. In the last seven days McAfee said the trojan had been found on more than 500,000 of the PCs that notify the company when a malicious file is downloaded. It added that, so far, only 10% seem to have gone as far as to install the fake codec and be plagued with pop-ups. Other security companies have seen the trojan but not in such large numbers as McAfee. Only those using Windows are vulnerable to the malicious program. McAfee urged users to update their security software and to be wary when using file-sharing networks. Just a nice little reminder about the evil of Limewire... gah! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RICK8 Posted May 8, 2008 Share Posted May 8, 2008 Yes I have known about this for a long time,but I know what I'm doing on there,unlike some people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TraceOddity Posted May 8, 2008 Share Posted May 8, 2008 Yes I have known about this for a long time,but I know what I'm doing on there,unlike some people. Same here. I think you may have already read my post about learning the hard way what to avoid, but I'm VERY careful and aware now. Even so, limewire's evil,lol...useful but evil, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bombadil Posted May 8, 2008 Share Posted May 8, 2008 I haven't really used limewire in years. Google is so much better. Scary stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jpw48 Posted May 8, 2008 Author Share Posted May 8, 2008 google is more reliable i reckon, although even thats not 100% safe. buy your CD's people!!! :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RICK8 Posted May 8, 2008 Share Posted May 8, 2008 ^Ah but sometimes in my case you cannot buy the CD,then the only option is to download it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TraceOddity Posted May 8, 2008 Share Posted May 8, 2008 ^Ah but sometimes in my case you cannot buy the CD,then the only option is to download it! Same. I use it for rare tracks and live stuff. But I don't use it often anymore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Rose Posted May 10, 2008 Share Posted May 10, 2008 hehehe :sneaky: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RICK8 Posted May 11, 2008 Share Posted May 11, 2008 You use it Dave? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Rose Posted May 11, 2008 Share Posted May 11, 2008 Nope, I don't want crap on my computer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RICK8 Posted May 12, 2008 Share Posted May 12, 2008 I don't have crap on my computer as far as I know...:shifty: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yamfox Posted May 31, 2008 Share Posted May 31, 2008 ^ Now that's crap right there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mc_squared Posted May 31, 2008 Share Posted May 31, 2008 Even more shocking - I heard someone once downloaded a Britney Spears file on Limewire and got ............................ a Britney Spears song!!:stunned: They've been in therapy ever since!!:rolleyes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Open-Politik Posted May 31, 2008 Share Posted May 31, 2008 ^Hehe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glossal Fragster Posted May 31, 2008 Share Posted May 31, 2008 i downloaded what i thought was "muse covering radiohead's creep"....but it was just radiohead playing creep acoustic :( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shesawsparks Posted July 1, 2008 Share Posted July 1, 2008 i downloaded what i thought was "muse covering radiohead's creep"....but it was just radiohead playing creep acoustic :( LOL i did that once too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LiivinLaVida Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 when i first got limewire on my computer i recognized how BAD it was. so i uninstalled it asap, since then i've had ARES. its pretty good. i hope i don't get any of those trojans on my computer. *tear tear Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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