Fake antivirus software earns $1,58,000 in a week

Fake antivirus software earns $1,58,000 in a week

Jayesh Limaye, Nov 06, 2008 1430 hrs IST

Russian hackers earns $1,58,000 selling fake Anti-Virus to Americans

According to security experts, a Russian hacker has been able to fill up his coffers with $1,58,000 in just one week by selling rubbish software to Americans.

The strategy used here was to first hijack the browser and introduce pop-ups, persistently warning the user about multiple infections. The users are then suggested that they need to download a software package called Antivirus XP 2008 or Antivirus XP 2009 after paying $49.95. The catch is that while this "antivirus" appears to scan for and find viruses and Trojans, it does just about nothing (though it has a very few elementary anti-adware features).

Delivered by botnets controlled mainly by Russian hackers, the attacks do not target Russian computers, thus rendering the hackers immune from prosecution in the Russian Federation. Bakasoftware, one of the companies responsible for the attacks, was recently invaded by a hacker called NeoN and it was he who revealed that the most successful affiliate of the scheme had earned $1,58,000 in just a week!

Source: www.theinquirer.net