Articles by Alex Eckelberry

Adult Friend Finder settles

12 Dec 2007

Today, the FTC announced a settlement with Adult Friend Finder:The settlement bars the defendant from displaying sexually explicit ads to consumers unless the...

http://www.itproportal.com/2007/12/12/adult-friend-finder-settles/

AFF prOn spam continues unabated despite FTC settlement

11 Dec 2007

As a follow-up to my post this morning on Adult Friend Finder’s settlement with the FTC (where I pointed out that a significant problem with AFF is its...

http://www.itproportal.com/2007/12/11/aff-pron-spam-continues-unabated-despite-ftc-settlement/

New fake codec website -- Windows and Mac -- codechot

11 Dec 2007

Same codec, new site: codechot(dot)net Pushes both Windows and Mac TrojanDNSChanger. Sample binaries: Mac: codechot(dot)net/download/codechard1123(dot)dmg....

http://www.itproportal.com/2007/12/11/new-fake-codec-website-windows-and-mac-codechot/

Some additional commentary about the Antimalware Testing Group

10 Dec 2007

You may have seen the recent articles on a new antimalware testing effort being launched. We’re part of this effort and very glad to see that it’s happening....

http://www.itproportal.com/2007/12/10/some-additional-commentary-about-the-antimalware-testing-group/

Dwindling Spiral: The increasingly degraded practices of Adult Friend Finder

07 Dec 2007

As a follow-up to my recent post about AFF, we now see them using video hard core porn to lure more subscribers.While AFF has allegedly used fake pictures of...

http://www.itproportal.com/2007/12/07/dwindling-spiral-the-increasingly-degraded-practices-of-adult-friend-finder/

Direct Revenue is dead. Sort of.

30 Nov 2007

We’ve written before about Direct Revenue’s demise.However, it’s still to early to say that this bugger is dead. We’re still seeing Direct Revenue binaries and...

http://www.itproportal.com/2007/11/30/direct-revenue-is-dead-sort-of/

Rogue ads pushing malware -- how it works

29 Nov 2007

On Monday, eWeek wrote an article about DoubleClick displaying ads that promoted rogue antispyware. The article quoted our work. To clarify — it wasn’t...

http://www.itproportal.com/2007/11/29/rogue-ads-pushing-malware-how-it-works/

New fake codec site: zangcodec

28 Nov 2007

Pushes both Windows and Mac TrojanDNSChanger. Sample binaries: Mac: zangcodec(dot)net/download/zangcodec4327(dot)dmg; Windows:...

http://www.itproportal.com/2007/11/28/new-fake-codec-site-zangcodec/

Love letters on the MBR

28 Nov 2007

Link here.

http://www.itproportal.com/2007/11/28/love-letters-on-the-mbr/

DNS hacks the norm

27 Nov 2007

For search engine optimization and increased distribution, pornography and malware distributors commonly hack websites (interestingly, Google’s work in marking...

http://www.itproportal.com/2007/11/27/dns-hacks-the-norm/

eEye comment spam

27 Nov 2007

This is kind of a bummer: A really good, very reputable security vendor is doing comment spamming. I did contact them the last time I saw this, thinking it...

http://www.itproportal.com/2007/11/27/eeye-comment-spam/

Weekend viewing: Facebook

26 Nov 2007

The comedy group Train of Thought has a video which pretty much encapsulates the Facebook experience. Sometimes I truly wonder about this site, which makes...

http://www.itproportal.com/2007/11/26/weekend-viewing-facebook/

Some more fake codec sites

26 Nov 2007

gneprogram(dot)comndcperformance(dot)commzdsoftware(dot)compkbsolution(dot)comzerocodec(dot)comAs is the case with fake codecs these days, the binaries are...

http://www.itproportal.com/2007/11/26/some-more-fake-codec-sites/

A culture of fear: Japanese traveler removed from train for taking pictures

23 Nov 2007

Our post-9/11 culture of fear is not having the best effects on our economy. And this depressing story, of a foreign traveler removed from a train for taking...

http://www.itproportal.com/2007/11/23/a-culture-of-fear-japanese-traveler-removed-from-train-for-taking-pictures/