Fake Firefox warnings lead to scareware

From The Windows Club 5-31-2011

We have been reading about a lot of rogue software targeting Mac users – but its now time for Firefox users to be a bit careful.


A new scareware detects your user-string from your browser and if you are using Firefox, it will display a fake alert stating that a security scan is in process, with a button recommending that you Start Protection.

If you click on the Start Protection. button, it will proceed to install a rogue antivirus software on your Windows computer. This rogue will ‘detect’ a fake virus and ask you cough up $80 to remove it.

Firefox does NOT include a virus scanner, so should you see such an alert, you know what to do! Simply close the browser and make it a point to not visit the website where you may have seen this alert, reports Sophos.

If you use Internet Explorer, you may get the regular Computer folder dialog box which appears to be running a system scan inside your IE.

I guess we are going to be seeing more and more of such ways to steal money from people. Cybercriminals will use such scareware tactics to scare people into downloading malicious software onto their computers and/or pay for a fake rogue software. This is something we all need to take care of.

I suggest two simple online safety rules to follow:

• If you didn’t ask for it, don’t click.
• If in doubt, don’t click!

It'll never stop. As modern as our AV/IS protection is today, recent OS's & browsers are being patched as needed, yet the cyber criminals maintain a step forward, regardless of what's being done to stop them.

While these measures may stall the rookies, they don't stop the pros. The only effective way to slow them is by education on our part. Never, never click onto anything that's not solicited by the user. This includes rouge or "spam" emails, some of which may be in your main folder, not the spam or "junk" folder. Trash them w/o opening them.

It's always important to run a quality AV/IS solution, of the user's choice. A good one will catch bad emails & links most of the time, but not all. This is where the user must use sound judgement, in knowing what to open or trash. Really, emails that's not solicited should be trashed, unless it's a company or other person you're doing business with. Links for deals "too good to be true" usually are.

And never, never fall for that "free laptop computer or ipod" by participating in offerings. You'll end out applying for credit & services everywhere, but the thing is, you really don't know where your info is going. So stay away.

This is not by far a complete list, but it's a few common basics, hopefully it'll spare someone a major infection or worse yet, identity theft.

Cat