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Blogs Latest Source of PC Infection

Posted by Zonk on from the watch-where-you-surf dept.

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."

13 of 170 comments (clear)

  1. Websense == Bad by maotx · · Score: 5, Funny

    WEBSENSE filters legit sites!

    --
    I'm a virgo and on Slashdot. Coincidence? Yes.
  2. So... by Skye16 · · Score: 5, Funny

    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.

  3. Wow by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    ... as if the fact they're largely written by self-important bores wasn't reason enough to avoid blogs and bloggers.

  4. Suppression by tankenator · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Is this really the case, are is it yet another attempt by corporations to subtly supress their employee's reading habits???

    1. Re:Suppression by alnjmshntr · · Score: 5, Interesting

      I would say it's another attempt by Websense to sell more product. Haven't we seen this all before from Symantec/Mcafee et al, scaring the masses into buying their product?

      --
      If I had created the world I wouldn't have messed about with butterflies and daffodils. I would have started with lasers
    2. Re:Suppression by OhPlz · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Seems more like a case of the BBC trying to publish an article with a buzzword in it.

      A responsible journal would have gone on to say that any web site, not just a blog, could potentially attempt the same sort of behavior. This isn't anything new and has nothing much at all to do with blogging.

      Actually.. why am I blaming the BBC? It made the front page here..

  5. Only 200? by Alibloke · · Score: 5, Interesting

    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........

  6. So if the blog says.... by GPLDAN · · Score: 5, Funny

    If the blog you are reading says...
    "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!" ... you probably shouldn't download the code.

    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.

  7. Competition anyone? by BKuhl · · Score: 5, Interesting

    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?

  8. Blogs or websites? by delymyth · · Score: 5, Insightful

    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)
  9. Re:.0025%? by ergo98 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    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.

  10. Glass houses by guet · · Score: 5, Funny

    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.

  11. Re:Beyond my understanding by Freexe · · Score: 5, Insightful
    If you like to make a post please enter:

    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