Zombies are real and they are out to get you.
I got this one this morning in my email:
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Dear Customer,
Craiglist online department temporary disabled your account.
Your account was temporary disabled until further investigations.
You must reactivate your account at Craiglist immediately or will be deleted forever.
We are sorry for any inconvenience this may cause and thank you for your cooperation.
To continue, please: Click Here
Craigslist Team. All Rights Reserved.
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It’s a fairly standard scam and I was just about to delete it when I noticed that the link did look interesting. The link pointed to the URL:
http://www.i-cast.co.kr/accounts.craiglist.org
First, the country code “kr” is South Korea. It’s really doubtful that Craigslist is doing anything there. But what was the domain “i-cast.co”? A quick check revealed that it’s a little iron casting company headquartered in Japan. This particular URL is probably a branch office.
What happened here is that somebody took over the server in the branch office and turned it into a “zombie”. The scum who create these viruses like to hide, so when they find an unguarded server they can take over, they install a system that makes the server send out the emails and collect the responses in a file. Then they download the file and see if there is anything in it they can exploit. That way, they don’t even have to leave any identifying tracks on the server. To collect the file, they just break into the server again. The trail ends there for anyone trying to track them down. (Fantasy computer science on TV cop shows notwithstanding.)
Just thought you might like to see a real-world example.
Dan, Thank you for showing me the real thing in your Zombi Blog. Before I had even finished reading the first paragraph I felt uneasy. I guess that is because of the many cautions I have recieved from you in the past. Nowif I dont recognize or feel good about something I delete it. I have never deleted anything I felt bad about. Lena
There’s another similarity about computer zombies and the ones you see in films. Zombies are slow and easy kill once you see them. They’re only dangerous if they surprise you.
That’s one reason I decided to post this one. It’s a really good example of what one looks like.
ps … Further investigation revealed that the site has already been reported as a zombie and my anti-virus software, Kaspersky, warned me about it with a full screen, blood-red warning.
I’m getting to really like Kaspersky.
Dan,
What’s your take on Microsoft Security Essentials? I was using the free version of Avast! but found MS Security Essentials less obtrusive and (I think) with a smaller footprint. I should note that I do all my email in “the cloud.”
Microsoft Security Essentials is the successor to their previous commercial product Live OneCare. I used Live OneCare for several years (until it was discontinued) and it seemed to do a good job. They discontinued it because they could never get enough market share to make it worthwhile. This is likely a testament to the power of advertising more than anything else.
Microsoft Security Essentials is an adequate product. Nothing wrong with taking advantage of anything free. The way they “charge” you is that it won’t run unless your copy of Windows is fully authenticated. It’s interesting to watch these products dance and duel. Beats the Stupor Bowl any day.
Having your email “in the cloud” isn’t really any more of a protection than traditional email. The most recent scam I reported, for example, would have made it through. Only the web site that was linked was identified as a hazard, not the email.