[Hidden-tech] Beware the Facebook thingy-dingy... Problems await

[Shel Horowitz]

I got this little nasty earlier today. It's very clever, looks quite 
authentic, and is timed to coincide with an actual major FB update. 
Fortunately, I was suspicious. And then I noticed the clincher--it 
went to one of my e-addresses that is not the one I use for FB.

Had not thought to send an alert, will do so now.

At 4:18 PM -0500 12/9/09, Michael Billingsley wrote:
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>
>Hi Everyone
>
>I know this isn't likely your area of expertise, but you might know 
>somebody in computer security (or cyber-terrorism) so please pass 
>this along.
>
>There might be a very new slave-bot operation starting right now, 
>out of server 193.219.117.80 - 99 (Grigorescu, Romania).
>
>The operation is disguised as a Facebook Login Update 
>implementation... very slick.  Facebook users will get an email 
>saying "In an effort to make your online experience safer and more 
>enjoyable, Facebook will be implementing a new login system that 
>will affect all Facebook users."
>
>The perpetrators are using TeamViewer remote access to breach 
>firewalls and slave unsecured PC's and Macs.   Blatant... and if you 
>don't know what this means, it means that they will plant a small 
>piece of seemingly quiet software in your computer making it 
>possible for someone in another country to operate your computer 
>while you're not.  They can enter it, examine the files, plant more 
>stuff and make your computer do their bidding.
>
>This may be the prelude to a denial-of-service-attack where somebody 
>needs a lot of computing power, and has hired Romanian computer 
>thugs to line up the processors.  I think a lot of money might have 
>gone into this.
>
>If you have access to any computer security networks (I don't) and 
>can warn folks, I'd appreciate it.  I could not reach Facebook 
>directly because they don't (stupidly) provide an access address... 
>as does Google... for phishing attempts, etc.   But this may be 
>bigger than that.  Facebook was just picked because it's so 
>ubiquitous, and these folks apparently want a LOT of fast personal 
>computers on hand for... uh... whatever.  It remains to be seen.
>
>Iran, perhaps - hoping to overpower its own external Internet 
>traffic?   Or somebody actually wanting to "stop" an entire 
>government, or maybe a "simple" widespread criminal enterprise. 
> Can't tell.   But my radar tells me this could be very problematic 
>for somebody - and certainly you if your computer is compromised in 
>this fashion.
>
>Don't respond to such a Facebook email, or click on the connecting 
>button contained in it.
>
>Michael Cerulli Billingsley
>Straight Arrow Recordings
>Location Recording - CD Mastering - Sound F/X and Solutions
>The Cotton Mill, Brattleboro, VT 05401
>802-254-3975
>
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