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.
Is this really the case, are is it yet another attempt by corporations to subtly supress their employee's reading habits???
Storage space + bandwidth + gullable users: that's all anyone needs to do this.
This doesn't seem to be a great deal of sites, after RTFA I now know there are around 8 million blogs and only 200 are infected.
Personally I'll take my chances........
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.
Maybe the problem isn't that the fake blogs are carrying malicious code; rather that the browsers (coughIEcough) being used to surf the fake sites aren't secure enough.
Malicious websites will always be around; however, if we try and educate the public about security, they'll be rendered useless.
IGB: More fun than eating oatmeal!
Let see... The mainstream news is reporting "Don't go read the blogs or your PC will crash and burn." Does anyone else find it curious that blogs are one of the more potent competitors the the mainstream news in recent time?
They couldn't be trying to discredit the competition?
I do have a blog, or at least people call it a blog.
What I'm asking myself right now, reading this article is...
"What's the difference between a blog and a website?"
I mean, how could a proxy know it's a blog?
It can't, unless you talk about blogs hosted on big blogger networks.
But I'm not the only one having a blog on another hosting service, with my own domain and so on.
The same could happen with "personal home pages", the problem is, as usual, people click on anything that seems interesting, without checking the website where they'll end.
It's always a matter of Social Engineering, users have to be educated I think...
-- Personal Blog: http://www.delymyth.net/ (italian)
So there are 200 fake blogs among 8,000,000 that were drawn up with malicious code and this is a story?
The story is that blogs are dangerous. Blogs are the tool of the devil, and they will install keyloggers, spy through your webcam, and solicit your children. Blogs are the tools of criminals and miscreants.
Good people should stay away from blogs and instead obtain all of their entertainment and information from the large corporate media outlets.
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.
username:_________
password:_________
Thank you, I'm sure you use the same username/password for all your accounts and now i have access! HAHAHA
"In a time of universal deceit - telling the truth is a revolutionary act." - George Orwell
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.
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.