Tech a byte

Malicious code circulating through spam messages in relation to Israel-Hamas conflict (Gaza War) was launched yesterday by spammers (which reportedly hosted in China) at around 9 a.m. EST.

Information about these spam messages

• These fake emails are disguised and appear to come from CNN with subject lines "Israel offers short respites from strikes".
• The body of the messages indicates a link to a legitimate-looking CNN website where a news story about the war can be found.
• This bogus website additionally contains a video of the said war and when user attempts to watch it, a pop-up message appears to tell the user to update their Flash player. This is not a legitimate update, but instead a malicious code will be downloaded and may cause serious problem.

Preventive measures to mitigate the security risks

• Keep antivirus updated.
• Do not open open nor unsolicited email messages and links.
• Do not visit untrusted websites.
• Obtain software applications/patches/updates directly from the vendor's website.