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Trojans and Popups and Slimeball Business

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the remember-when-the-net-was-polite dept.

Selanit writes "Salon.com is reporting on a company which exploited a vulnerability in an old but common version of Internet Explorer's Java engine to install spyware on the visitor's machine. " It's a pretty in depth story showing the lack of respect that some companies have. My favorite part is that the guy who denies any knowledge of the trojan popup is named 'Frank Bigott'.

6 of 269 comments (clear)

  1. The line gets thinner by ringbarer · · Score: 5, Insightful

    How is this type of cancerware distinguishable from a virus that spreads by exploiting security vunerabilities?

    It seems that all the Klez and Chernobyl kiddies have gone and got themselves some venture capital, and are turning their malware into a business.

    --
    "Why did they cancel my favorite Sci-Fi show? I downloaded ALL the episodes!"
  2. Um.. by xtermz · · Score: 4, Insightful

    ...Call me naive, but why isnt that states attorney general investigating this company? This is nothing short of corporate sponsored hax0ring.

    I didnt see any mention in the article of somebody lodging a criminal or even civil complaint.

    I think a big reason these companies get away with this crap is that nobody takes them to task for what they are doing...

    --


    I lost my concept of community when my community lost all concept of me.
  3. That would explain... by Nos. · · Score: 3, Insightful

    all those lame server on wwws1.com entries in my log files. My girlfriend's computer got hit by this, and I cleared it out (eventually). Funny, guys who can write these programs to monitor everything you do on the 'net, but can't setup DNS properly.

  4. Yep - definitely by BenHmm · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I have.

    Many times: it's why I now use Mozilla (well, that and the tabbed browsing and...and...and...) and Ad Aware.

    Mostly it seems to be dialler programs for offshore ISPs. Porn, basically.

    Use IE unprotected for a while, then run AdAware - it's quite scary.

  5. Re:'scuse my language, but by kubrick · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I can dream.

    A lot of the large media companies would be happier if no other competition existed for people's attention. A lot of the recent legislation is aimed not only at controlling the means of media consumption, but also the means of media production.

    In ten years, it could be illegal to put up a web site or run an ISP without arranging content licensing and censoring (like, say, Iran or China).

    Don't like it? Get active about it.

    You can dream, but the reality gets more and more like a nightmare each day. :(

    --
    deus does not exist but if he does
  6. Re:r-e-s-p-e-c-t by gmack · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Personally I blame both sides.. on one hand you have some idiot taking advantage but on the other MS should have considered the security implictions before a lot of those features were shown the light of day.