FBI Releases Warning About Scareware
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has released a warning to alert users about an ongoing threat involving pop-up security messages that appear on the Internet. These pop-up messages may contain seemingly legitimate antivirus software. Users who click on these pop-up messages to purchase and install the bogus software may become infected with malicious code or to become victims of a phishing attack.
US-CERT encourages users and administrators to do the following to help mitigate the risks:
* Review the FBI Press Release titled Pop-Up Security Warnings Pose Threats.
* Install antivirus software, and keep the signature files up to date.
* Use caution when entering personal and financial information online.
* Install software applications from only trusted sources.
