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PandaLabs lists the most terrifying Halloween malware
October 2008 by Marc Jacob
Halloween is a night of costumes, witches and monsters, but above all, fear. Yet what computer-users fear most is: MALWARE. Consequently, PandaLabs has listed the most terrifying examples of malware, which no matter how they are disguised, you should never invite to your party… or your computer.
– Tixcet.A: Disguised as a Microsoft Word file, this worm will try to turn Halloween into a nightmare by deleting files with specific extensions (.DOC, .MP3, .MOV, .ZIP, .JPG, etc.). Party-goers will be panic-stricken on realizing the loss of photos, videos, songs and documents.
– Antivirus2008pro: This malware is one of the smartest; it disguises itself as a free antivirus to sneak into users’ ‘homes’. Although many people let it in, the house will soon be filled with cries of horror as it starts to display false infections until users decide to pay for the antivirus. Definitely a good guest if you want a spooky Halloween!
– Goldun.TB: This petty thief disguises itself as an attachment to an email indicating that the victim’s Internet service will be suspended. Once on computers, it steals passwords and online payment information. Not something you want at your Halloween party, as it can leave you penniless, no matter how safe you think your money is.
– Baker.LGC: Also known as the fake Fernando Alonso story, this Trojan enters users’ computers falsely reporting an accident involving the Spanish F1 driver. Banker.LGC thereby tries to gain users’ trust to steal their banking data and take their money.
– Turkojan.I: This Trojan has one of the most attractive disguises, as it passes itself off as a new episode of the “The Simpsons”, getting many fans to open the door. Its real nature however is more frightening, as it is a malicious code that damages users’ computers.
– Banbra.FXT: This Trojan’s Halloween disguise is that of a Brazilian civil servant. Passing itself off as an email from Brazil’s Federal Ministry, it will clean out the bank accounts of users who trust it and are fooled by its disguise.
– AutoKitty.A: Due to its appealing Hello Kitty icon, many people could be tempted into letting this malware sample in. However, behind its innocent appearance is a worm that carries out numerous modifications to the Windows Registry to prevent the computer from working correctly. Many users will be petrified on seeing their computer won’t work because of this malware.
– PHilto.A: Paris Hilton at your Halloween party? No! Under the guise of a Paris Hilton video is a Trojan designed to download adware -detected as NaviPromo- onto your computer.
– MeteorBot.A: Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Is it Superman? No! It is a backdoor Trojan that reaches computers disguised as Superman. But this is no superhero, it’s a super villain designed to steal PC information (IP address, name of the computer, operating system).
– PGPCoder.E: One of the best ways to wreck a Halloween party is to invite this Trojan, which will leave the party without music, videos, photos… Its aim is to encrypt the computer files (music, video, text, photos, etc.). The disguise is not so clever, as it simply warns users that their files are not encrypted and asks them to encrypt them. However, its results make it one of the most fearsome guests at any Halloween party.
