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Hackers target search results

An attempt to trick internet users into visiting malicious websites and leaving their computer's open to attack using poisoned web searches has been foiled. Web searches such as "Christmas gifts" and "hospice" were targeted as part of the scheme and it was aimed at Windows users.
By setting up thousands of domains the hackers were able to convince search index software that the bobby-trapped sites were serious sources of information.

Users who have been tricked into visiting the websites have risked having their machine hijacked and personal information plundered.

Attacks using this technique to target search results are not unheard of but this one is far bigger than anything attempted in the past.

Alex Eckelberry, head of Sunbelt Software, one of the firms that uncovered the attack, was taken back by the scale of the attack: "This was fairly epic. If your machine was not fully patched you were going to get hosed.

"You could be searching for really innocuous things and get nailed. There was really nasty stuff in there."

Mr Eckelberry believes that following the attack users should concentrate on their security: "If there's any message from this I can scream from the rooftops its make sure you patch your machine."

The sites also attempted to stop the malicious software being spotted by intermittently scrambling the package before it downloads.

Trend Micro another company that spotted the attack speculates that the 'Russian Business Network', a hi-tech criminal gang, could've been behind the attacks.

The corrupted sites were appearing in Google searched for 24 hours before they were removed from the search engine's listings, it is believed that some are still appearing in searches made on Yahoo and MSN Live.

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<a href="http://www.pulsewebhosting.com/news/hackers-target-search-results/145/" title="Hackers target search results">Hackers target search results</a> Published Date: 2007-11-29 14:14:24

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