Black hat search engine optimization (SEO) attacks are nothing new, but the surge in internet use since the announced death of the terrorist leader has led the FBI to issue a quick warning about malware-laden search results on the internet.
With big news comes big ruse, so the FBI was wasted little time in issuing a
press release warningabout poisoned internet search results and email attachments. Less than 48 hours after the occupier of the number one spot on its most wanted list was killed by a US military operation, the FBI is asking the general public to proceed with caution when reviewing Osama Bin Laden related emails, search results, attachments, and media files.
The warning reads: “The FBI today warns computer users to exercise caution when they receive e-mails that purport to show photos or videos of Usama bin Laden’s recent death. This content could be a virus that could damage your computer. This malicious software, or ‘malware’, can embed itself in computers and spread to users’ contact lists, thereby infecting the systems of associates, friends, and family members. These viruses are often programmed to steal your personally identifiable information.”
The FBI urged the public to report any suspicious material to the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), while also asking for increased skepticism of items received from trusted sources.
As
Infosecurity reported earlier today, numerous IT security vendors have identified malicious domains linked to malware when reviewing Bin Laden related search results.
