If you find it hard to resist clicking on pictures of beautiful women over the net, it’s time to think twice and get a grip on yourself.

SophosLabs, a global network of highly skilled researchers and analysts who protect businesses from known and emerging malware, such as viruses, rootkits and spyware, as well as other computer threats like phishing, spam and scams, is warning everybody about new attempt to infect PCs with malware by someone posing as a long lost school friend.

Taking advantage of the current popularity of social-networking and online friendships amongst adults, hackers are are using the lure of a possible internet romance in an attempt to trick the unwary into downloading a password-stealing Trojan horse.

The emails, which have been spammed out across the internet, purport to be from a young blonde woman with pigtails called Ann Berns who claims that she went to high school with the recipient. This is a sample of the alleged email:

Hi! I’m not sure if you remember me..
I’m Ann Berns, I guess we went to high school together.
It was quite a while ago but I still remember our friendship.
Do you remember that walk after classes? It was really cool!
I still think about you sometimes, all that fun, all whispering chats during classes. Do you want to see what I look like now? Visit my home page then, it’s at http://[REMOVED]

Users who click on the link in the email are taken to a webpage containing a picture of a young blonde woman with pigtails:

“It’s a pretty sad state of affairs that cybercriminals need little more than a picture of a blonde woman with pigtails to steal passwords from unwary internet users. Everyone needs to learn to take more care over unsolicited emails, and ensure that they are properly defended when they open their email inbox or surf the web,” said Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant for Sophos.

Originally posted on October 6, 2007 @ 2:47 pm

Experian, a global information solutions provider, today announced that it will offer the option to freeze credit reports to consumers nationwide starting Nov. 1. A credit file freeze prevents new creditors from accessing the credit file without the consumer’s consent.

“Now that a national model for file freezing has emerged, Experian is offering this option to help prevent consumer confusion. Placing a freeze on a credit file is a major decision for a consumer. It will be one option among a broad range of fraud assistance tools we already provide to consumers so that they may make the choice best suited to their situation,” said Kerry Williams, group president, Credit Services & Decision Analytics.

Experian’s file freeze will be free to victims of identity theft. Unless state law mandates otherwise, there will be a $10 fee to institute, temporarily lift or permanently remove the freeze.

Originally posted on October 4, 2007 @ 7:34 am