Fake Skype web site purveys malware

Stan Beer
Wednesday, 09 August 2006 13:56

Business IT - Security

US-based web security provider SurfControl is currently tracking a new spyware threat that comes to users via an email written in Turkish and claiming to be from free VoIP service Skype. 

The body of the email encourages users to download the Skype application by clicking on an enclosed link. Upon clicking the link, users are taken to a site that appears to be the Turkish version of the Skype Web site to download the application.  

The fake Skype Web site contains a malicious file, skypekur.exe, which when executed, installs multiple password recovery tools that extract passwords from IM applications, email clients, and FTP programs on an infected user’s machine.

Passwords, once extracted, are then sent back to the email’s originator, thus compromising users’ privacy.