Don’t activate your copy of Windows Now-Read this first
Scammers all over are taking advantage of the knowledge of common people using Windows. They have adopted nice engineering tricks to trick ppl …
According to the Symantec Security Response Weblog:
Recently we came across an interesting Trojan sample, detected by Symantec as Trojan.Kardphisher. The Trojan is not very technical - it's really just another classic social-engineering attack. What makes it interesting is that the author has obviously taken great pains to make it appear legitimate.
Here’s the scam. The Trojan installs itself onto a PC and presents the user with the following message:
“Your copy of Windows has been activated by another user.
To help reduce software piracy, please re-activate your copy of Windows now.
WE will ask for your billing details, but your credit card will NOT be charged.
You must activate Windows before you can continue to use it.
Microsoft is committed to your Privacy. For more information, www.microsoft.com/piracy.
Do you want to activate Windows now?”
Look at the screenshot:
Clicking on the “No,” option shuts down the PC, maintained Katsuki. While on the other hand selecting “Yes,” takes the user to a second screen where he or she is asked to enter her name and credit card information, which is then transmitted to the hacker’s server. “This Trojan teaches us all a good lesson,” continued Katsuki. “Trust no one.”
Symantec offers the following advice:
This Trojan teaches us all a good lesson - Trust No One. This is the slogan from the TV show The X-Files, and very much applies when it comes to protecting your personal information. Sometimes the creators of Trojans attempt to impersonate Microsoft, a bank, or even a government organization. Whatever the warning or message says, we must make very sure it is genuine before giving up any personal details, financial or otherwise. It’s far better to doubt a genuine request until proper verification is provided, than it is to blindly place your trust in a communique simply because it appears to have come from a trusted source.