Online Video Virus

Article Published By Marc Liron - Microsoft MVP

A New Danger Is Appearing Online But Many Are Ignorant To It!

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The Online Danger...

I am always a little taken aback when talking with home computer users about their PC security.

Many simply just do NOT understand the risks online.

Over the last 24 months tens of thousands of computers around the world have been compromised and turned into a "zombie" computer that can be controlled by a remote user - and the PC owner does NOT even suspect a thing!

When a "remote user" (a criminal) wishes to launch an attack on a website, spread a new piece of spyware that steals personal data, send out spam email etc... they will use thousands of these "zombie" PC's as a group of computers, sometimes referred to as a "botnet", to achieve their task.

Things have got so organised now that high tech criminal gangs will approach the "owner" of these botnet's and pay them a fee to "rent" their services for a particular task.

The biggest botnets can have tens of thousands of hijacked computers in them. Research suggests they can be hired from as little as 4 cents per machine!

Modern Crime...

Phishing is now big business...

A spammer will send out an email on behalf of a criminal gang that attempts to direct people to another website that looks like that of the bank or financial institution the e-mail purports to have come from.

Anyone handing over details could rapidly have their account plundered.

Fortunately the inbuilt anti-Phishing technologies in the new generation of browsers from Microsoft (Internet Explorer 7) and Mozilla (Firefox 2.0) will help on that front...

Now another front is opening up!

The Online Video Virus Danger...

With the huge popularity of online video, criminals are now turning their attention to this area.

The issue these criminals are exploiting is the myriad of formats the online video can come in. So they rely on the end user being ignorant or confused.

You see when you make a video the file size is too large to be used on the Internet so it has to be "compressed" into a smaller size. Then when the file is played back on your computer it is then "uncompressed" when viewed.

To do this compression/uncompressing you will use something called a CODEC.

What the criminals are now trying to do is to fool you believing you have to download a new CODEC onto your computer in order to watch the video.

The thing is if you have the main media players (current versions) installed on your computer then they should have installed enough of the most popular CODECS on your computer so that the need to install anymore is remote.

These are (current versions):

Windows Media Player

Apple QuickTime Player

Real Player (Free Version)

Adobe Flash Player

Adobe Shockwave Player

Camtasia TSCC Codec

DivX Player (Free Version)

...if you have these on your machine then your pretty much covered for watching video online.

If you are using one of these players to view a video and the CODEC, used to make the video file, is not installed on your computer then let the media player itself try and find it automatically for you (most offer this feature) and NOT rely on any additional software that pops up and offers to find and install it for you.

If you accept THAT offer a small utility will be installed that will seem harmless. It may even pass an initial anti-spyware/antivirus scan. BUT it will soon try to dial into a remote server on the internet and then attempt to download a "payload" (nasty software) that can do anything to your computer it wishes!

The other CODEC scam is to invite you to install a "CODEC Pack" They are advertised as a convenient way to install all the CODEC'S you need on your computer all at once...

The problem here is that they are usually poorly put together and more than likely will contain some form of spyware to infect your computer!

PLEASE AVOID THEM!

The Solution?

I can not emphasise enough the importance of securing your computer!

Would you leave your house and not secure it? No of course not yet the only reason these criminals can grab hold of your data in most cases is poor security on your part.... get safe today!

ALWAYS:

Use Internet Explorer 7 or FireFox 2.0

Use anti-spyware like SpySweeper or Spyware Doctor (AVOID the free software as the stakes are now to high to rely on them, except Microsoft Windows Defender as they DO have the resources behind this product.)

Use AntiVirus programs like McAffee AntiVirus

On at least a weekly basis update anti-virus and spyware products

Switch on the Windows firewall

Make sure updates to your operating system are installed

Make sure you are running XP Service Pack 2

Consider an all-in-one package like OneCare or McAfee Internet Security Suite

Take time to educate yourself and family about the risks

Always use passwords that contain numbers & letters and make them at least 8 to 12 characters long. Do NOT use familiar words such as a name in the password as these can easily be cracked!

Monitor your computer and stay alert to threats

Remember the days of installing free software to protect you are long gone.
 

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