Fake media file snares PC users

[gkd_uk]

Almost 500,000 people have been caught out by a booby-trapped media file, says security firm McAfee.

The fake file poses as a music track, short video or movie and has been widely seeded on file-sharing networks to snare victims.

McAfee said the fake media file outbreak was the largest it had seen for about three years.

Those running the fake file get bombarded with pop-up ads and risk compromising the safety of their PC.

The fake file or trojan has been widely distributed on the eDonkey and Limewire file-sharing networks.

The file has many names and is written in different languages to trick people into downloading it.

The titles make the file appear to be music tracks, pornography and full versions of popular movies.

Anyone downloading the trojan and trying to run it is asked to install a codec that will play the supposed media.

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[iastaff]

This figures. But those using P2P networks have to assume these risks. Its not nice, but a simple fact of life.