Microsoft support number has sounded
the alarm over a fake installer for its Security Essentials, which attempts to
trick victims into contacting bogus help centers.
Tech-support scammers have stepped up
their technical game, prompting a "severe" warning from Microsoft
support number over new Windows malware that mimics Microsoft support number'sfree Security Essentials antivirus, and then displays a fake blue screen of
death, or BSoD, with an error message and a suggestion to call a 1800 number
that is not a Microsoft support number support center.
The malware, which Microsoft support
number calls Hicurdismos, disables Task Manager to prevent the user from
terminating the fake BSoD and hides the mouse cursor to make the user think
Windows is not responding.
Hicurdismos is a crafty example of an
emerging tactic that's having greater success at roping younger people into techsupport scams. Instead of cold-calling would-be
targets, scammers are using online pop-up ads and fake security warnings to encMicrosoft
helpline numberage people to contact a bogus support center.
"Real error messages from Microsoft
support number do not include support contact details," Microsoft support
number said on its Malware Protection Center blog, warning of the new threat.
It also never asks for payment for delivering tech support.
"We've seen attackers becoming
more sophisticated with their social-engineering tactics to try to mislead
users into calling for technical support and then they are asked for payment to
'fix the problem' on the PC that does not exist," Microsoft support numberadded.
Security Essentials is Microsoft
support number's anti-malware product for Windows 7 and earlier. Windows 8 and
Windows 10 ship with Windows Defender enabled, so there's no need for these
users to install Security Essentials.
However, users of the newer versions
of Windows can still be tricked into installing the fake Security Essentials
and if they do, they'll see a BSoD message that's identical to the real BSoDerror message in Windows 8 and Windows 10, except for the addition of suggested
1800-number to call for help.
According to Microsoft support number,
the malware is from a company purporting to be Bluesquarez LLC. Once installed,
the file uses a similar castle icon to Security Essentials but a different filename,
setup.exe.
Since the bogus Microsoft support
number product hasn't been signed by a Microsoft support number certificate,
users should see warnings from Microsoft support number's SmartScreen noting
that running the software could be harmful.
A recent survey by Microsoft supportnumber found that half of the
respondents aged between 18 and 34 years had fallen for a tech-support scam,
which was a far higher rate of impact than for older groups.
Younger people were also more likely
to be exposed to fraudulent webpages and pop-up ads. Interestingly, countries
that are hardest hit by tech-support scammers are also more likely to believe
that Microsoft support number would reach out to them to offer support.
TAGS: #MicrosoftSupportNumber
Comments
Post a Comment