Skype botnet scam targets Windows users

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http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/te...sers-1C6340483

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Worm spreading on Skype IM installs ransomware

A malicious worm spreading through Skype instant messages threatens to take control of a victim's machine and hold its contents for ransom.

The issue, which was first brought to light Friday by GFI, tricks users into downloading a ZIP file by displaying the socially-engineered message, "lol is this your new profile pic?" along with a link that also spreads the message to other Skype users. The ZIP filed contains an executable file that installs a variant of the Dorkbot worm and creating a backdoor via "Blackhole," an exploit kit used by criminals to infect computers through security holes.

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Skype users attacked by "Dorkbot"

Skype, the Internet communications service, is being targeted by hackers.

Cyber criminals have been using social engineering to spread a variant of "Dorkbot," a worm that infects Windows PCs.

Users of Skype have reported receiving an instant message reading, "lol is this your new profile pic?" which, when clicked, leads to an attached .zip file that proceeds to download the malware.

Following this, infected machines can be hijacked and recruited into a botnet army. Users can also be locked out of their computers and held to ransom; ordered to pay fees as high as $200 (£125) or face seeing their files permanently deleted.

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Responding to news that the Dorkbot malware is being used to target Skype users, Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) solutions specialist AlienVault says that the cybercriminals behind this latest scam may be missing a trick or two – meaning that the effects of the worm could have been lost worse.

As reported peviously, reports started coming in last week that users of the Skype VoIP and instant messaging service were being hit by a large-scale attack centering on a worm that infects users’ PCs and destroys their documents if they click on a download link.

Known as Dorkbot, the worm is a type of ransomware that infiltrates computers by posing as innocent links sent from Skype users’ friends.

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Localized Dorkbot malware variant spreading across Skype

Security researchers from Avast have intercepted a currently spreading Darkbot malware campaign, that's affecting millions of Skype users.

The malware spreads by messaging all of your contacts with a bogus "new profile picture message". It targets all the major Web browsers, and is also capable of distributing related malware such as Ransomware/LockScreen, as well as steal accounting data for major social networking services such as Facebook, Twitter, as well as related services such as GoDaddy, PayPal and Netflix.

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