Slashdot Mirror
Blogs Latest Source of PC Infection
smooth wombat writes "The BBC has a story which indicates that filtering firm Websense believes at least 200 fake blogs are in existence which have malicious code that could infect your pc. Websense said it had seen examples of some computer criminals creating a legitimate looking weblog, loading it with keylogging software or viral code, and then sending out the address of it through instant messenger or spam e-mail. Websense warned that viruses hosted on weblogs might be a danger because they get round the filtering systems many firms have created to ensure malicious programs do not reach employees." From the article: "In separate cases some blogs were being used as storage lockers holding chunks of malicious code that the controller of a network of zombie machines wants those remotely-controlled computers to use."
WEBSENSE filters legit sites!
I'm a virgo and on Slashdot. Coincidence? Yes.
So basically they're saying there are now webpages that exist to infect your computer with malicious code through various browser security holes? Huh. Imagine that. I never would have thought that to be possible.
Dot dot dot.
... as if the fact they're largely written by self-important bores wasn't reason enough to avoid blogs and bloggers.
If the blog you are reading says... ... you probably shouldn't download the code.
"Today, I went with Billy and Johnny, and we went to the farm and saw a cow. It was a big cow! Download this program and it will show you how big the cow was!"
If the blog purports to be from some p0rnster, and the blog says "download this cool active X control, it will let you see all these hot pix I took at the club last night"... you probably shouldn't install the control.
Ok, I think I got it.
You've confused the word "infected" with the phrase "worth reading"
how do these blogs get outside the browser sandbox?
publishing this sort of rubbish should be punished.
Lacking the broad compatibility of Windows to run any executable at any time without pestering the user, Linux will slowly fall out of favor as the more "user friendly" Windows proves yet again that everthing "just works".
Developers must get their act together to make Firefox compatible with these soon -to-be mainstream methods of allowing users to update their PCs without worrying their little heads over such arcane details as "what does this application do?"
Until Linux can match Windows in this kind of ease of use, I'll have to stop using FC3 and Firefox and upgrade to XP and IE.
Note to mods: This post contains sarcasm. Do not eat.
yeah, I know, I read this site because it's written by humble yet well-informed and interesting people, who are careful not to make generalisations.
QUICK!! Ban blogs!!
Oh wait, the majority of the US public already want to :-).
Wow is that site chock full of viruses. I think I can see a couple of trojans in there too.
You might be a dumbarse!
According to the emails *I* get, bored housewives are not looking at blogs at all. They'd much rather meet with me when their husbands are out of town. (this internet thing is *really* something)
Yeah? Well I think you're overrated too.
I had the same exact problem this morning! (you forgot to include the link by the way).
According to the emails *I* get, bored housewives are not looking at blogs at all. They'd much rather meet with me when their husbands are out of town.
What? You get those too?
I though it was just my hot cock they were after.
I'm feeling rather depressed all of a sudden.
Groklaw seems to cause some of its posters to launch virulent attacks against other web sites.
My faith is expressed through Nihilism. Do you understand?
What do you expect when there's a back door like *that* on your site?