Tech Shout!

A new spyware program that lures computer users by claiming to give free access to pornographic internet content ends up “blackmailing” them into purchasing a program to clean the infection

U.S.-based Computer security company Panda Software announced that a program called DigiKeyGen produces passwords that apparently allow users to access to pornographic websites.

At the same time, a spyware program and an alleged anti-spyware application are installed on a computer without the users’ knowledge, Panda added.

It then warns users that their computer is infected and offers them an anti-spyware program to clean the system for $49.95.

“You must always be suspicious of offers for something in exchange for almost nothing,” said Luis Corrons, director of Panda Software Labs, noting that the technique is not new.

If you were tricked into the download of software such as DigiKeyGen, Panda offers a tool to scan a computer free of charge.

Corrons added, “Cybercrime, which aims to make easy money, simply applies traditional fraud techniques to the Internet and as a result, anybody tempted by the chance to get something for nothing is taken in, unaware of the risks of apparently harmless actions, such as downloading small programs or accessing certain websites.”

In a separate security warning issued on Tuesday Sophos Labs cautioned that a security alert claiming to be from Microsoft is in fact a “trojan” that steals passwords.

Sophos said that e-mails, which have the subject line “Microsoft WinLogon Service — Vulnerability Issue” and purport to come from patch@microsoft.com, claim that a vulnerability has been found and direct the recipient to download the fix.

Sophos said, “However, the link really points to a non-Microsoft website and initiates the download of the Troj/BeastPWS-C Trojan horse, which is capable of spying on the infected user and stealing passwords.”