The FBI is “taking off the gloves.” The FBI’s attempt to smash ’scareware’ comes at a time with significant up-ticks in cyber-crime taking place. FBI’s “Operation Trident Tribunal”, in coordination with 12 nations, is an attempt to stem the growing “scareware” threat.
So whats the big deal? The insidious nature of scareware is quite troubling. Scareware works by pretending to be legitimate anti-virus software. It will scan your computer and then say it can clean malware from it – for a price. You do not get the option to simply say “not interested..” The scareware essentially holds your computer hostage.
The FBI, on their website, estimates that almost a million people have been scammed by this software. Most people who surf the Internet probably have seen phony anti-virus pop-ups at one time or another. NEVER click on these. Close them right away. It might also be a good idea to run your own, legitimate, anti-virus software after such an event happens (If you have questions, just give us a call 972.781.0011).
Scareware is very difficult to remove from a computer. Often it will even cripple your own legitimate anti-virus software. It can get so bad, that some uses simply end up reformatting their hard drive. Scareware attacks literally cost millions of dollars in damages, stolen money, and lost productivity. All while pretending to remove viruses that never existed in the first place.
The FBI’s investigation is ongoing. To this point, there have only been two arrests, but things are about to get very interesting.
UPDATE
Click here to read a ZDNet article about server and computer seizures related to the investigation.
