Internet users told to look out for earthquake malware

Internet users looking for information about the Indonesian earthquake tragedy face increased risk of having their computers infected by malware, following the creation of fake websites designed to make money from concerned members of the public.

Cybercriminals are poisoning web searches so their fake websites are listed at the top of searches for terms such as “Western Samoa”, “earthquake” or “tsunami”, Symantec Technical Product Manager Rob Pregnell told SmartCompany.

“At this time we don’t have specific information on the quantities of websites but each server could be hosting dozens of domains. Hundreds or thousands of unique websites hosting the same malicious information could be hosted on hundreds of servers,” Pregnall says.

Clicking on any of the websites will infect users’ computers with malicious code designed to steal users’ money and identities, he warns.

“People are worried about viruses that will slow down their computer or stop it from functioning properly but that’s not what the problem is here.”

“The criminals want to steal identities so they can either use this information to steal money or on sell it to others for the same purpose. Or they take control of the computer to use it later on in a bot network.”

People searching for information about the disaster should only gather it from reputable websites, he warns.

But people who click on messages about the earthquake that jump up on their screen are most at risk, he says.

“People are using Facebook, instant messaging, all types of programs at the same time and they will often mindlessly click on anything that comes up on their screen.”

“You should never click on this type of message without considering it carefully first, even if it appears to come from someone you trust.”

Using news events to infect internet users’ computer is becoming increasingly common. Symantec identified similar attacks following the Serena Williams’ outburst and Twitter based attacks were reported last week, Security Response Manager Hon Lau says.

“The idea is to increase malware exposure by linking it to something that a lot of people are interested in and more likely to click on, Pregnall says. “It’s a common tactic and we’re not going to see it go away anytime soon.”

DFAT said earlier this morning that 249 Australians could be in the quake zone, with a possible 112 unaccounted for. At least four of the 13 Australians who told DFAT they would be in the area are yet to make contact.

The earthquake has killed at least 1,100 people and left tens of thousands homeless, the UN estimates. But the total toll is estimated to reach up to 5,000.