Malware makers target security sites

MALWARE WRITERS and phishermen are spending a lot of time and effort in taking down security sites.

The big idea is that if they can take the sites down for a couple of weeks, chances are their malware will be safely installed because no one will have a clue how to remove it. Also, if they keep hitting the security sites long and hard enough the site's ISP will shut them down.

According to PC World for the last two weeks, CastleCops.com, which offers help to those hit by malware has been suffering from a DoS attack in a bid to knock it offline.

CastleCops' top cop Paul Laudanski, said the site went down for a few hours as he sorted it out. Then he noticed that other helpful sites were also being attacked. These included 419eater.com, fraudwatchers.org, scam.com, scamfraudalert.com, and scamwarners.com. When he looked, most of the sides were down.

CastleCops gave aa491.org a home after its Interweb provider got fed up with all the attacks.

Most of the sites are run by enthusiastic amateurs while their attackers are apparently organised criminals looking to make a fast buck.

Word on the street is that the amateurs are giving the criminals a run for their money and are hurting their dodgy business. Since a horse's head in the bed or a broken knee cap is not an option, the best the mobsters can do is shut people down.

The net result is the number of attacks on security outfits is on the rise.

Laudanski thinks that the attacks may backfire as it is telling the security sites that they are making a difference. This gives them a greater resolve. µ