Security companies warn of uptick in attacks using new IE flaw

From PC World: Criminals are stepping up their attacks leveraging an unpatched flaw in Microsoft's Internet Explorer browser, using it to install fake antivirus products and malicious back doors on victim's computers.

Microsoft first warned of the bug on March 9, saying that it had been used in "targeted attacks." But now, according to researchers, the exploits are much more widespread. By late last week, security vendor AVG was getting reports of 30,000 attacks per day, according to Roger Thompson, AVG's chief research officer.

"It's not a massive attack, but it's an unpatched exploit being used aggressively," he said Tuesday, in an instant message interview.

It appears that two separate cyber gangs have begun using the exploit -- the first uses it to install fake antivirus software on victim's computers; the second group is installing a variant of the Sinowal Trojan, Thompson said.

Most of the attacks are being hosted on Web sites that appear to be specifically set up to host the attack code, rather than hacked sites, Thompson said.

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