To hack or not to hack MSN accounts

June 2010 Information Security

A mass mail invitation to a suspicious 'do-it-yourself' account hacking session puts Windows Live Messenger users at risk.

The e-mail marking the first step of this data harvesting scheme is very likely to go down in the history of cybercrime-generated fiction on human behavior - claiming that if you tell people something is illegal, they will not do it. This is how the promised tool gets the thinnest of all legitimacy coatings: “This tool could be used by hackers to hack MSN password, it should not because Windows Live password hacking is illegal! […]”.

Much like a wolf trying really hard to grow a thick coat of wool and develop a persuasive bleating technique, this tool is allegedly intended for '[…] the use of owners to hack their own MSN accounts […]' and for 'forensic scientists'.

Far be it from me the idea of preaching complete distrust in our fellow humans and their natural generosity! However, the logic of this message is quite puzzling. The final reference to the tool being valid for situations in which you are '[…] able to login without having to enter your password' adds to its sci-fi aura.

Such in-depth analysis of the meaning of every e-mail that you receive may not be your favorite pass time, but any claim to rendering password recover easier is quite hilarious in an age when you can never be too cautious about personal data theft.

Literary analysis aside, the promised tool is supposed to be downloaded using the link embedded in the message. And here is when HackMsn.exe drops its mask and reveals that it is a backdoor at heart.

Identified by BitDefender as Backdoor.Bifrose.AADY, this piece of malicious code affects Windows platforms. The malware injects itself into the explorer.exe process and opens up a backdoor that allows unauthorised access to and control over the affected system.

Moreover, Backdoor.Bifrose.AADY attempts to read the keys and serial numbers of the various pieces of software installed on the affected computer, while also logging the passwords to the victim’s ICQ, Messenger, POP3 mail accounts, and protected storage.

This is not the first campaign aiming to disseminate this piece of malware. You can find out the details of another scheme it has been part of on the Malwarecity Blog

For more information contact Alina ANTON, senior PR and Marketing Coordinator, EMEA & APAC Business Unit, BitDefender, +40 212 063 470, aanton@bitdefender.com, www.bitdefender.com





Share this article:
Share via emailShare via LinkedInPrint this page



Further reading:

Deception technology crucial to unmasking data theft
Information Security Risk Management & Resilience
The ‘silent theft’ of data is an increasingly prevalent cyber threat to businesses, driving the ongoing leakage of personal information in the public domain through undetected attacks that cannot even be policed by data privacy legislation.

Read more...
Data security and privacy in global mobility
Risk Management & Resilience Information Security
Data security and privacy in today’s interconnected world is of paramount importance. In the realm of global mobility, where individuals and organisations traverse borders for various reasons, safeguarding sensitive information becomes an even more critical imperative.

Read more...
Sophos celebrates partners and cybersecurity innovation at annual conference
News & Events Information Security
[Sponsored] Sun City hosted Sophos' annual partner event this year, which took place from 12 to 14 March. Sophos’ South African cybersecurity distributors and resellers gathered for an engaging two-day conference.

Read more...
The CIPC hack has potentially serious consequences
Editor's Choice Information Security
A cyber breach at the South African Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) has put millions of companies at risk. The organisation holds a vast database of registration details, including sensitive data like ID numbers, addresses, and contact information.

Read more...
Navigating South Africa's cybersecurity regulations
Sophos Information Security Infrastructure
[Sponsored] Data privacy and compliance are not just buzzwords; they are essential components of a robust cybersecurity strategy that cannot be ignored. Understanding and adhering to local data protection laws and regulations becomes paramount.

Read more...
AI augmentation in security software and the resistance to IT
Security Services & Risk Management Information Security
The integration of AI technology into security software has been met with resistance. In this, the first in a series of two articles, Paul Meyer explores the challenges and obstacles that must be overcome to empower AI-enabled, human-centric decision-making.

Read more...
Milestone Systems joins CVE programme
Milestone Systems News & Events Information Security
Milestone Systems has partnered with the Common Vulnerability and Exposures (CVE) Programme as a CVE Numbering Authority (CNA), to assist the programme to find, describe, and catalogue known cybersecurity issues.

Read more...
Access & identity expectations for 2024
Technews Publishing IDEMIA ZKTeco Gallagher Salto Systems Africa Regal Distributors SA Reditron Editor's Choice Access Control & Identity Management Information Security AI & Data Analytics
What does 2024 have in store for the access and identity industry? SMART Security Solutions asked several industry players for their brief thoughts on what they expect this year.

Read more...
Prepare for cyber-physical attacks
Gallagher Information Security Access Control & Identity Management
As the security landscape continues to evolve, organisations must fortify their security solutions to embrace the changing needs of the security and technology industries. Nowhere is this more present than with regard to cybersecurity.

Read more...
Zero Trust and user fatigue
Access Control & Identity Management Information Security
Paul Meyer, Security Solutions Executive, iOCO OpenText, says implementing Zero Trust and enforcing it can create user fatigue, which only leads to carelessness and a couldn’t care attitude.

Read more...