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Hackers Get Free Hosts
Techtree News Staff, Aug 18, 2005 1652 hrs ISTWebsense Security detects thousands of hackers creating web hosting accounts to spread malware and spyware and steal data.
Websense Security LabsT finds thousands of cases of hackers creating web hosting accounts to steal private data and spread malicious code and spyware.
Websense announced, that free personal web hosting sites are increasingly being exploited by hackers, seeking affordable and anonymous ways to store and disseminate mobile malicious code (MMC) and dangerous types of spyware i.e. keyloggers which is designed to steal personal and confidential information.
Since the beginning of 2005, Websense Security LabsT has discovered more than 2,500 instances of these websites distributing MMC, Trojan horses and keyloggers.
In the first two weeks of July 2005 alone, Websense Security Labs has discovered more than 500 incidents of free web hosting sites, that were created to spread keyloggers, Trojan horse downloaders, Trojan horse droppers and other harmful spyware and malware.
Earlier this year, Websense reported that free blogging accounts were being used to harbour malcode - this trend is now expanding to any form of free web hosting site.
The recently uncovered sites include those available for hosting online journals, photo albums, greeting cards, music, sports 'fan' pages, online scrapbooks and other such popular purposes.
Dan Hubbard, senior director - security and technology research, Websense, said, "The growth of this trend is alarming. July has seen a major boom - in the first two weeks alone, we found more instances than in May and June combined".
"Some of the sites may be created with automated, shared, hacking software and free online tools, while others are built to appear more legitimate. For example, one of the sites found by the Labs, included music that accompanied a greeting-card message which runs while your computer is being infected with spyware", Hubbard added.
These fraudulent, free personal websites have an average lifespan of two to four days, making them difficult to trace. In addition, a majority of the new sites discovered by Websense, have been hosted in Brazil or the United Kingdom and contain text written in Portuguese and English.
Websense announced, that free personal web hosting sites are increasingly being exploited by hackers, seeking affordable and anonymous ways to store and disseminate mobile malicious code (MMC) and dangerous types of spyware i.e. keyloggers which is designed to steal personal and confidential information.
Since the beginning of 2005, Websense Security LabsT has discovered more than 2,500 instances of these websites distributing MMC, Trojan horses and keyloggers.
In the first two weeks of July 2005 alone, Websense Security Labs has discovered more than 500 incidents of free web hosting sites, that were created to spread keyloggers, Trojan horse downloaders, Trojan horse droppers and other harmful spyware and malware.
Earlier this year, Websense reported that free blogging accounts were being used to harbour malcode - this trend is now expanding to any form of free web hosting site.
The recently uncovered sites include those available for hosting online journals, photo albums, greeting cards, music, sports 'fan' pages, online scrapbooks and other such popular purposes.
Dan Hubbard, senior director - security and technology research, Websense, said, "The growth of this trend is alarming. July has seen a major boom - in the first two weeks alone, we found more instances than in May and June combined".
"Some of the sites may be created with automated, shared, hacking software and free online tools, while others are built to appear more legitimate. For example, one of the sites found by the Labs, included music that accompanied a greeting-card message which runs while your computer is being infected with spyware", Hubbard added.
These fraudulent, free personal websites have an average lifespan of two to four days, making them difficult to trace. In addition, a majority of the new sites discovered by Websense, have been hosted in Brazil or the United Kingdom and contain text written in Portuguese and English.
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,coimbatore, on Aug 27, 2005 04:17 PM
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