Firefox Update. Fake email includes password stealing trojan

by MarkFlax Forum moderator Aug 7, 2011 10:22PM PDT

Reported by Carol in our "Spyware, viruses & security" forum in her post here;
http://forums.cnet.com/7726-6132_102-5182418.html

Security specialist Sophos reports that it has discovered new spam email messages that claim to be an advisory related to an update to the open source Firefox web browser. The fake advisory asks users to update their Firefox installations, "for security reasons", and includes a download link to the supposed update.

According to Graham Cluley of Sophos, the download leads to an executable file that bundles an installer for the Windows version of Firefox 5.0.1 and a password-stealing trojan (Troj/PWS-BSF). As noted by Cluley, users should always exercise caution when clicking on links in emails.

Users can download the latest stable version of Firefox directly from the Mozilla project. Alternatively, users can upgrade to the new versions either by waiting for the automated update notification or by manually selecting "Check for updates" from the Help Menu.

http://www.h-online.com/security/news/item/Fake-Firefox-update-includes-password-stealing-trojan-1319477.html

Thanks for this information Carol

Mark

Discussion is locked

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Darwinism

by Flatworm Aug 12, 2011 9:45PM PDT

Anybody who falls for something like that shouldn't be operating any machinery as complicated as a computer. Such people are a danger to themselves and others. Warnings like that from Sophos won't have any impact on them; they're too stupid to understand it.

Mozilla doesn't communicate with its user community via email. Mozilla doesn't acquire user's email addresses at all.

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It is good to see

by MarkFlax Forum moderator Aug 12, 2011 10:06PM PDT

that you are so knowledgeable about these things, and have never fallen for scams and such things yourself.

Sadly, there are those who do not have the comprehensive knowledge and experience that you have, and there are those who are more vulnerable. Your comment about their ability to use computers will be most welcome to them I am sure.

May be those who think the way you do would like to see those computer users banned from using them at all? What IQ level do you think that should be aimed at?

Thank you for your contribution.

Mark

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ummmm

by IronManCurtis Aug 13, 2011 11:03PM PDT

Those of you who think you know it all are annoying to those of us who do.

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was this Helpful

by jonq21 May 30, 2012 12:59AM PDT

Mr. FlatWorm, Darwinism... ? Really... ? this forum is meant to be helpful.
just an observation.

I rarely find a post so childish that it prompts me to join the forum just to address such childish behavior.

I would love the opportunity to measure your intelligence level.
the only danger here is that a child such as yourself is composing such a response,
to a person in need of assistance. one can only hope that your mother takes your toy away,
or at the very least unplugs your x-box from the internet.

1. computers are no longer complicated. (your presence in this forum is proof of that)

2. your comment , while it makes you feel superior to the rest of the world,
in actuality makes you look like a small child with a keyboard and too much time.
3. the computer you are using to make this post IS infected with at least one piece of Mal-ware.
( you were here looking for help yourself. for the same problem)
and last but not least.
4. criminal organizations go to great lengths to build and deploy these fake interfaces to gain control of
computers and steal information. some of these don't require you to do anything at all. ad rotators serve
them up to you automatically ..
just to review.. golden rule one. do on to others as you would have them do onto you.
golden rule two. if you can't say something nice OR Helpful.. don't say anything..

I hope this has help Mr Flatworm to better relate to your fellow humans.

and to everyone else excuse my rant.

JonQ21

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Fake email

by badbounder Sep 9, 2011 2:19PM PDT

If you are using Mozilla Thunderbird for your email, just put your cursor over the link without clicking it, and you'll find at the very bottom the true address of that link. This is one of the great things about Thunderbird.

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Thanks for this

by talks_44 Dec 29, 2011 9:46PM PST

I hadn't heard about this, but it's good to know. Always good to have a heads up on things like this, especially concerning internet browsers. Thank you for sharing.

Firefox Update. Fake email includes password stealing trojan

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