Skip Links

Network World

  • Social Web 
  • Email 
  • Close

French Embassy Web site for Libya said to be serving up malware

Compromised site identified by McAfee researcher
By Ellen Messmer , Network World , 12/13/2007
  • Share/Email
  • Comment
  • Print

The French Embassy Web site for Libya has been compromised and is serving up malware to visitors, according to McAfee.

McAfee researcher Francois Paget discovered Thursday and the company says it has reported its findings to the French government. The site has been attacked using an iFrame exploit that inserts an invisible frame in the page in order to re-direct some Web browser connections to another location, which serves up a "downloader," code that attempts to reside on the victim machine. If the downloader is successful, the attacker can then remotely attempt to download other malware, "typically a bot or a password-stealing Trojan," says Dave Marcus, McAfee security researcher and communications manager.

Marcus says Paget, a researcher with tools to scan scripts and investigate code behavior, happened by chance to be looking at the French Embassy Web site for Libya and discovered the attack code on it. The incident is similar to discoveries made by security researchers of other compromised Web sites spewing attack code, including that of the Bank of India and the MySpace page of Alicia Keys

McAfee says the attack on the French Web site is being carried out via routing through a Hong Kong provider and then to sites in Russia and the Ukraine.

  • Share/Email
  • Comment
  • Print
Partner Content

Brilliantly simple security and control solutions for email, web and endpoint

www.sophos.com

Stopping data leakage

Learn how to exploit your current security investment to control the information that flows into, through and out of your network.

Download the white paper.

Why detection rates aren't enough

Evaluating endpoint security products is a time-consuming and daunting task. Learn the six critical questions you need to ask prospective vendors to get the right endpoint solution.

Download the white paper.

Applications: taking back control

Employees installing unauthorized applications is a growing threat to business security and productivity. Cost-effectively reduce this threat by integrating control into your malware protection.

Learn more today.

Comment
Login
Forgot your account info?
Add comment
Anonymous comments subject to approval. Register here for member benefits.
Have a NetworkWorld account? Log in here. Register now for a free account.

Videos

rssRss Feed
Get instant email notification when white papers, webcasts, executive guides are added to our library. Stay informed and up-to-date with the latest on IT Technologies with Network World's Resource Alerts.
Network World,to go. Wherever you are. Breaking news delivered to your mobile device. Select the hottest topics in networking and start receiving Network World on your mobile device today.