e-card Malware

I’ve gotten some e-cards this holiday season from organizations that I know, and you might even receive one from F5. I just wanted to post a short reminder to be careful of these, especially if you get one from someone you don’t know. This is, and has been for several years, one of cybercriminals favorite ways of distributing malware, infecting your computer and stealing your info. Usually, the e-card arrives in your email with a link to view it online. Once you click that link and visit the purported e-card site, you can become infected. In fact, if you get one and don’t know the sender at all, I’d delete it right away. Often you don’t need to visit a site to get infected since the payload might in the email itself.

The Better Business Bureau is also warning of another phishing scam with cybercriminals masquerading as a shipping company. You’ll get an email with a tracking number in the subject line. The note says that the package could not be delivered and asks the user to print the attached document. At that point, if you do open the attachment, then a virus is installed on your computer. There have also been charitable giving scams, coupon code scams, too good to be true sale scams and other rip-offs to swindle you of your money and sensitive info.

You might be thinking, ‘ahh, geeze – not another,’ but this is the time of year those cybercriminals like to prey on people’s holiday spirit and general preoccupation with with other things festive. Keep anti-virus updated, use a firewall, be suspicious, use common sense and enjoy the holidays.

Resources:

Published Dec 17, 2010

Version 1.0