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DazzyD
20-10-2011, 02:57 AM
Hi guys.

Just thought I'd best inform all you Firefox users of this email I've just received:


New update arrive.

Your security is our top priority. Our open source security process means we have an international community of experts working around the clock to monitor the latest threats. As soon as a security threat is discovered, we write a patch and release an update to stay one step ahead. Downloading Firefox updates is a very important part of staying safe online.
Firefox is constantly evolving as our community finds ways to make it better, and as we adjust to the latest security threats. Keeping your Firefox up-to-date is the best way to make sure that you are using the smartest, fastest and . most importantly . safest version of Firefox available. A Firefox update will not make any changes to your bookmarks, saved passwords or other settings. However, there is a possibility that some of your Add-ons won.t be immediately compatible with new updates.
Re-installing Firefox will not affect your settings, bookmarks or preferences in any way.
A Firefox software update is a quick download of small amounts of new code to your existing Firefox browser. These small patches can contain security fixes or other little changes to the browser to ensure that you are using the best version of Firefox available.
Update in a click : firefox-7.0.1

I've confirmed with Sophos and some other security companies that this email is a hoax and you should not under any circumstances click on the link. It's a trojan downloader and will cause you problems. My advice is to delete the email straight away.

I've always considered myself web security-savvy but this email had me wondering if it was geniune. It isn't so steer clear!

Vectis
20-10-2011, 09:53 AM
Yeah... looks fairly reasonable compared to some!

If this is a direct copy & paste then "fastest and . most importantly . safest version" would have given it away for me; also the lack of paragraph breaks and apostrophes replaced with periods.

Oh, and "New update arrive" :D

That, and the fact that I don't have Firefox and I would never in a million years click on any link in an email without verifying the URL, and then only from a trusted source. If it looks like it *might* have a ring of truth about it, I'll visit the site in question manually. Which is the same advice I offer to others.

Corabar Steve
20-10-2011, 09:57 AM
apostrophes replaced with periods.
When did you become american Martin?

Vectis
20-10-2011, 10:01 AM
Ha!

That's what 30 years of working in IT does for you I guess.

It's also funny to hear folks (especially in RP) reading out URLs and using 'slash' for the very same reason!

Then there's the American voicemails and automated attendants that insist on you pressing the 'pound key' :daft:

I could go on, but I shan't.

:beer1:

CRAZY K
20-10-2011, 10:14 AM
Ha!



Then there's the American voicemails and automated attendants that insist on you pressing the 'pound key' :daft:


:beer1:

Thats the one on VONAGE:D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

DazzyD
20-10-2011, 01:53 PM
Yeah... looks fairly reasonable compared to some!

If this is a direct copy & paste then "fastest and . most importantly . safest version" would have given it away for me; also the lack of paragraph breaks and apostrophes replaced with periods.

Oh, and "New update arrive" :D

That, and the fact that I don't have Firefox and I would never in a million years click on any link in an email without verifying the URL, and then only from a trusted source. If it looks like it *might* have a ring of truth about it, I'll visit the site in question manually. Which is the same advice I offer to others.

Looking at the email in the light of day and it's quite obviously dodgy. However, it arrived at ten to three this morning and I'd just upgraded to Firefox 7 only last week so it was the combination of timing and the fact that I was half asleep.

However, as I said, I've always been web security conscious so would never click on a link in an email I hadn't asked for but this is the closest I've come to doing so. My first port of call is always Sophos to see if this is an identified threat and, as expected, the scam was identified back in August so it's not even a new threat (well, not in the big scheme of internet scams).

Knowledge is the best defence against these scams which is why I decided to share it on here.

DJ Paulie
20-10-2011, 02:06 PM
I'm using Firefox 7.0.1 Beta, so I know I'm upto date. But I'm sure there'll be a lot of people who click the link. it only take one and the scammers have achieved thier goal. Did anyone get the scam DM on twitter the other day ? The one that said 'I found a really bad blog about you'

discomobiledj
20-10-2011, 02:36 PM
The one question....how did they get your email address?

DJ Paulie
20-10-2011, 03:47 PM
The one question....how did they get your email address?

It's not difficult, they can use email harvesters. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E-mail_address_harvesting

DazzyD
20-10-2011, 10:02 PM
The one question....how did they get your email address?

That's an easy one. I've got my email addresses on my website and on several other sites and DJ directories - including this one!! Harvesting bots trawl through the internet collecting email addresses and sending them back to the scammers. In fact, I should really know better because, to combat this problem, one of my sites doesn't use email addresses in text format but actually has a graphic of the email address which the bots can't read. Maybe I really ought to deploy this tactic with all the sites I have a stake in.

Corabar Entertainment
20-10-2011, 10:17 PM
I've got my email addresses on... DJ directories - including this one!! Unless you've actually put your email address in the text for your listing, you haven't got it on THIS directory!

YEARS ago, we changed it so that they either went through to your website to contact you, or used this site's contact form - specifically to help prevent spamming.

discomobiledj
20-10-2011, 10:26 PM
In fact, I should really know better because, to combat this problem, one of my sites doesn't use email addresses in text format but actually has a graphic of the email address which the bots can't read. Maybe I really ought to deploy this tactic with all the sites I have a stake in.

I wouldn't bother! I run a forum and the bots are actually very clever in the fact that they "read" the graphic! I am now the owner of a very long ban list with IP addresses and emails!

DazzyD
20-10-2011, 10:29 PM
Unless you've actually put your email address in the text for your listing, you haven't got it on THIS directory!

YEARS ago, we changed it so that they either went through to your website to contact you, or used this site's contact form - specifically to help prevent spamming.

I used to use a generic advert which I used for the online directories. However, I don't seem to have anything in the online directory here at all (which is odd as I remember Shaun telling people they needed to log in to keep their listings live and I recall doing this but can't find it now?? :confused: )

Shaun
20-10-2011, 10:34 PM
(which is odd as I remember Shaun telling people they needed to log in to keep their listings live and I recall doing this but can't find it now?? :confused: )
http://www.forum.mobilediscodirectory.co.uk/showthread.php?p=570987#post570987

If your listing is no longer there then it must have been a year since you last updated, so therefore the listing would have been removed. We have safeguards in place to ensre that only listings that have expired are deleted. The rest are locked away in a separate part of the directory out of harms way.

DazzyD
20-10-2011, 10:39 PM
http://www.forum.mobilediscodirectory.co.uk/showthread.php?p=570987#post570987

Cheers for that, Shaun! I mustn't have made the deadline. Think I'll have to create a new listing later on as I've had a few glasses of a nice Claret tonight and my business brain seems to be a little detached right now!!

DJ Paulie
21-10-2011, 01:23 AM
I used this on my old site and very rarely got any spam or phishing emails. http://acme-web-design.info/free-web-email-cloaker.php