Adware, Malware, and now Scareware?

Just in time for Halloween in parts of the world, the NYT just published an article on a new type of scam: programs pretending to be antivirus software, and then creating pop-ups falsely telling the user that they are infected and must pay a fee to get rid of the virus. Although the Washington State Attorney's office is already investigating the matter, this scam is spread in decentralized systems, making it hard to shut down. In essence, it's a concerted three-front attack with a combination of a botnet, spyware, and elements of phishing. Users can best defend themselves only by educating themselves and keeping up-to-date, using legitimate antivirus software and downloading the latest virus and spyware definitions. Our Security Corner has the latest info and resources to keep you safe.