Skype says I’m infected with malware…
Yesterday a “chat” window (Skype) opened on my machine, and presented me with a dire warning from someone named “Software Update”. It said that “WINDOWS REQUIRES IMMEDIATE ATTENTION” and, it provided me with a solution.
(Click on image to see large version)
Please, folks, tell me you have spotted this for what it is.
Please tell me that you knew –instantly– that this is a cybercrime attempt.. that it is Phraud-ulent.
Please tell me that you know what will happen if the link provided in this message is clicked; and, please, please, please tell me you would never click the link.
Just in case you aren’t sure…
* “Software Update” doesn’t exist.
* “www.onlinemonitor.info” is not registered in ARIN (the registry of Internet addresses)
* clicking the link will allow scripts to run and/or take you to a poisoned Website which will install malware on your machine.. or/and, it may take you to a site that will sell you a rogue antispyware program (please read my article, Is that antispyware program really spyware).. all of this so that the hacker can take control of your machine.
* Microsoft DOES NOT alert you via Instant Messaging. No legitimate company does.
This is a classic example of a hacker’s attempt to get you to click their link. Please point your less-savvy friends and family to this article and educate them to the dangers of spam (unsolicited) messages and tell them–
NEVER CLICK THE LINK.
[addenda: Peter Parkes (Skype Blogger) wrote and asked me to remind my readers to, quote, "Please report users who send these messages to abuse@skype.net - that will help us to block them where appropriate."]
Today’s free link(s): I have assembled on my Website a collection of links to the best free anti-malware programs to help you prevent infection.. and clean up if you’ve been infected. To see them, click here. Also, Bill Mullins has posted a very complete tutorial, Think You Have A Virus?– Some Solutions, which is quite probably the best one-stop lesson on malware I have ever run across. (I also recommend his How Fake/Rogue Software Affects Real People.)
Copyright 2007-8 Tech Paul. All rights reserved.
post to jaanix
| Share this post : |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
7 Comments »
Leave a comment
About Tech Paul
Welcome to my blog. I am a CompTIA Certified computer technician, and the owner of Aplus Computer Aid. I offer my affordable and friendly services via remote control over the Web, or over the phone. My email is tech4everyone(at)gmail.com.
I regularly post how-to’s and tricks & tips and general computing advice. Sometimes I will answer (your) specific questions in an article if I believe that it is generally helpful to “everyone”. All the writing you see is my own, typos and all.
I do my very best to provide the best solutions and advice. I use only industry best practices, and reliable sources for my research. I strive to Do No Harm.
Note: You are responsible for using this blog and its content. I am in no way liable for any losses caused by user error, viruses and/or other malware, hardware or software failure, or any other conceivable reason.
-
Copyright 2007-9 © by Tech Paul. All rights reserved.
Subscribe in a reader
---------------------
* Subscribe to Tech--for Everyone by Email
--------------------- post to jaanix
-
-
What Readers Are Saying
-
-
-
-
-
[...] Go to the author’s original blog: Skype says I’m infected with malware… [...]
Pingback by Skype says I’m infected with malware… | May 28, 2008 |
Hey Paul,
A very scary story. Thanks for bringing this to my attention and for the helpful links.
Bill Mullins
Yup, Skype’s “private” network is not as secure as they’d like it to be – this is an on going issue since late 2007:
http://share.skype.com/sites/security/trojans_and_viruses/
Wow, I just got this today and though I’m not super savvy when it comes to computers, I did decide to check the website without clicking on the link by cutting and pasting in my browser http://www.onlinemonitor.info and of course it demonstrated that it was running a scan on my computer, and that yes, I was infected and needed their $20 product. Hopefully I didn’t make my computer vulnerable by doing that! I then did a Yahoo search and found this article of yours. Thank you for taking the time to inform we who are somewhat naive about the tech world. I really appreciate it!
JJ–
I hate to be the one to inform you, but yes, you probably did infect your computer. If you have an up-to-date security suite, or have installed antivirus and anti-spyware apps individually, they may have prevented the malware install… A heuristic app, like ThreatFire, would be your savior here.
But if you don’t have those things, a hacker probably has a backdoor into your system, and there’s probably a keylogger watching what you type, looking to gain your passwords. Your machine may be mailing out e-mails advertising generic Vi@gra as we speak.
You should–immediately–boot your machine into “Safe Mode with networking” (Hit F8 repeatedly as your machine first powers up) and visit Trend Micro’s online anti-malware tool “HouseCall”, here http://housecall.trendmicro.com/, and run the scan.
Frankly, I must state that (most likely) the safest recourse for you now is to reformat your hard-drive and reinstall Windows.. or take your machine in to a professional.. soon. Like, tomorrow. (I happen to be one; you can contact me at http://aplusca.com, 9-9pm, M-Sat., Pacific)
PS– I commend you for doing the cut>paste of the URL, but that will not stop a properly built poisoned Website from infecting an improperly protected computer… and if the hacker is using a zero-day exploit, even a up-to-date computer is defenseless.
Thanks for the info.
I got the pop up today and deleted it as I always go to the site shown for info instead of the link.
What I want to know is how the pop up came to my computer? How did it know to come to me.
These “warnings” are mass-sent by people’s computers which have become infected with malware and turned into “spambot” zombies (usually unnoticed by the owner).
It is possible that this has happened to someone who has you as a “Contact”.. But most likely, it is just working its way through the Skype directory.
Everyone I know who uses Skype has received this “chat” (or a very similar one).