Fake anti-virus software (also known as scareware or rogue anti-virus) continues to be a big problem. Malicious hackers create programs that pretend to be legitimate anti-virus products, but are actually designed to frighten you into believing you have security problems with your computer (in the hope that you'll pay up for a cure).
Overnight our spam traps intercepted a wave of malicious emails claiming to be a free 30 day trial of McAfee VirusScan (which is a legitimate product, of course).
Subject: McAfee VirusScan Plus
Attachment: setup.zip
Message body:Download a FREE 30-day Trial of MCAfee VirusScan Plus and Be Automaticaly Entered to Win
Installation file attached
Sophos detects the attached file as Mal/FakeAV-EI. If you want to try McAfee VirusScan please go to McAfee's website and download it from there - don't trust unsolicited emails like this.
Check out this YouTube video, where Fraser Howard from our labs describes fake anti-virus software:
(Enjoy this video? You can check out more on the SophosLabs YouTube channel and subscribe if you like)
Don't forget to keep your (real) anti-virus up to date, and your wits about you.
