Fakes

[ozmart2004]

I did a search yesterday and found an exact match (zip file). I downloaded it, checked for viruses and trojans but when I clicked on the file it installed a whole load of spyware.

I also notice that often there is a wma file (106.7KB) and a jpeg file (41.6KB) that come up with every search as an exact match.

Maybe I am not up with the latest but is there some kind of scumbag software that can take your search name and rename an infected file so that you get a match?

[stief]

Yes

http://www.gnutellaforums.com/showth...threadid=29611

http://www.gnutellaforums.com/showth...threadid=29588

and there's more!

[ozmart2004]

Phew, I suspected as much. No doubt the developers are already cooking up a solution! ;-) Thks.

[ursula]

And...

Adaware Professional... Either the end of the 6 series or the new SE series... But NOT the freebie-trial version...

EDIT - It appears that since writing this, Lavasoft have stopped providing definition updates for version 6...
So, only go with the SE version - EDIT

Update it every day !

Learn how to run AdWatch which is the defense element of Adaware !

&

Peerguardian

Update checks every day !



Both programs are easily available by clicking on the links, for the same, in my sig below...


The files which appear in many many search results... The files that are always the same length, regardless of name or content...

FOR EXAMPLE...

[A Popular Song...or software or video or eBook].[Any Old Extension You Like But Normally .wmv or .exe. or or or or...]

Size may be 107,000
(Could also be slightly different... Or any size... Even including full size !)
You will normally see many others 'sharing' these files...
(This is because they are total idiots or are part of the criminal distribution system of these files... At least in the European zone, the great majority of these criminals are operating in Germoney And Italy... But, this is a global problem !)

What happens is that there are bad people out there who have their computers set up to 'read' what others are searching for... Then, they automatically rename the BAD DIALLER files that they are sharing to the file name you want !!!

So, maybe you are not thinking, or you are completely new to all of this, or you're just crazy... Whatever !!!

You download a video file that is 107kb which any 6 year old knows must be at least 650 MB... Ha Ha Ha...

THE BAD GUYS WANT YOU TO DOWNLOAD AND OPEN THIS GARBAGE!!!

THESE ARE DIALLER applications that will make calls from your computer to VERY EXPENSIVE telephone numbers...

Be careful and if you are ever in the least doubt that your internet connection is being used for something that you did not start...
Check it out and probably disconnect from your ISP until you know if you are 'clean' !!!

[ozmart2004]

Hey Ursula

Thks for the info and the nice links.

I run Adaware Plus / Spybot S&D / Spyware Blaster / X-Cleaner / Trojan Hunter & Norton Internet Security, so I think I have it covered mostly. I'll check out PeerGuardian as well! :-)

Nothing like a bit of paranoia when it comes to this sort of thing!

Naturally I realized that those wma files etc were dodgy and couldn't be the actual files I was after - it just hadn't dawned on me that some scumbags would go to all the trouble of taking your search string and renaming their bad files.

The file I downloaded was over 5MB and looked like it could be what I was looking for. I suppose this sort of deception might work on someone who is clueless, but I quickly realized it was a menace and my security precautions cleaned it up quicksmart.

Cheers
Martin

[ursula]

Congrats, Martin !!!!!!!!
Ace Operatin'

AND

PLEASE...

Help others here if you see a post that is even remotely related to these same probs, OK ?

C U

'urs the curse'