Hackers hit Twitter again

Twitter users are battling a new hack attack, which appears to be scarier and more complex than previous attacks. In this case, the hackers used "scareware," fake security software that, once installed, hits users with so many alerts that some fork over $50 or more just to get rid of the warnings, reports Computerworld.

Roel Schouwenberg, a senior antivirus researcher with Moscow-based Kaspersky Labs, told the magazine that there is no worm component. "But it's quite significant as it's the first time that Twitter's been used for a traditional type of attack," he told Computerworld.

The plot is easy to detect. Last weekend, Twitter users began receiving tweets with the phrase "Best Video" and a link to a Russian domain. Users who clicked on the link were directed to a site with a video and a PDF document that allowed the malware to install phony security software. Twitter warned users of the tweets with the "Best Video" link last Saturday.

But Schouwenberg told Computerworld that Twitter users should expect to see more attacks just like this one, "The whole idea of Twitter is to click on links," he said, and some users may be unable to resist the temptation of clicking.

For more on the Twitter attack:
- see this Computerworld.com article

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