Hackers spread malware via children's gaming websites - Polidicks

[release] [B]Hackers are increasingly targeting child-focused gaming websites, according to a leading anti-virus firm.[/B] Avast says it detected malware threats at more than 60 sites that contained "game" or "arcade" in their title, in the 30 days running up to 12 January. It says the pages tried to download Javascript infections, redirectors and potentially unwanted software. The Czech company says that young children are often less careful than adults about what they click on. "These are sites with mini-games, including flash applications and simple online apps - one example is software that allows girls to dress and change the clothes of characters," Ondrej Vlcek, the firm's chief technical officer, told the BBC. Avast says the most visited site affected - cutearcade.com - had generated more than 12,600 infection reports from its protection software as of last week. The company says a Trojan on the site had redirected users to linuxstabs.com, a known distribution point for malware. Cutearcade.com's owner Two Point Oh, registered to the British Virgin Island of Tortola, did not respond to requests for comment. At the time of writing the site no longer triggered a malware warning. The webmaster of one of the other sites flagged up by the study, hiddenninjagames.com, told Security News Daily that he could not find [URL="http://www.securitynewsdaily.com/kids-malware-sites-1496/"]no malware on his site[/URL], suggesting that Avast might have detected issues with third party adverts hosted by the pages. [B]Exploit packs[/B]Avast says it believes most of the sites affected are legitimate businesses that have fallen victim to hackers, and had not been deliberately created to spread malware. It bases this judgement on the fact that affected pages had been online for months or years before its anti-virus software began detecting threats. The company believes that hackers have taken advantage of "active components" used to run the sites' forums or chat facilities to spread their malware. It notes that "exploit packs" are sold online, meaning the hackers responsible might not have needed advanced coding skills. "I believe that children's computers are more vulnerable to attacks because they are usually in worse shape - in other words the owners are less likely to have the latest security updates installed," said Mr Vlcek. "The child may also be less suspicious that something wrong is happening than an adult would be. For example if a spam-bot infects the computer and keeps sending out spam emails for a long time a young child might not notice it going on." [B]Parental supervision[/B]In October last year Security News Daily reported a similar problem affecting [URL="http://www.securitynewsdaily.com/scammers-attack-preschoolers-online-through-rigged-games-1211/"]children's games on more than half a dozen Chinese websites[/URL]. Avast's research suggests the problem has become more prevalent since then. "This report highlights the need for children and young people to be made aware of the potential security risks associated with free online gaming sites," said Dr Joanne Bryce from the cyberspace research unit at the University of Central Lancashire. "Whilst it is unclear whether these sites for young people are being deliberately targeted, the possibility of computers being infected with viruses or malware may not be something of which young people are fully aware. "This is an issue that parents should discuss with their children, and also highlights the need for them to ensure that they regularly update the anti-virus and other security software on their children's computers."[/release] [URL]http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-16576542[/URL] Someone please think of all the children!

Oh god I remember how much I played Flash games in school. Probably with how much got unblocked, their whole system got destroyed.

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kx4ixXQFUQY[/media]

Avast! [IMG]http://thinkbet.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/love-symbol.gif[/IMG]

I thought this was already known.. Honestly, I used to play a lot of flash games when I was a kid and got a shit ton of viruses from it.

[QUOTE=LifeIsGood;34241764]Avast! [IMG]http://thinkbet.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/love-symbol.gif[/IMG][/QUOTE] Most subtle watermark ever.

[img]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/af/Tux.png/220px-Tux.png[/img] Problem solved.

[QUOTE=doonbugie2;34243808][IMG]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/af/Tux.png/220px-Tux.png[/IMG] Problem solved.[/QUOTE] That has nothing to do with this topic. I thought this subject was kind of common knowledge, though? I remember getting a virus back in 99 because I was searching for kirby games online as a kid.

Someone brought up Avast so I replied with Tux and implied AV is not needed get Linux.

malwarebytes, avast, and mse by the combination of their power my computer will be captain antivirus

[QUOTE=doonbugie2;34243808][img]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/af/Tux.png/220px-Tux.png[/img] Problem solved.[/QUOTE] make sure your kids aren't visiting random shady sites to play flash games problem solved

But... Tux looks cool and that makes it the better security solution?

Is this really surprising? My sister got a laptop for Christmas last year. All she used it for was shitty games aimed to getting parents money, and within a few months it was so riddled with malware that it barely ran.

[QUOTE=doonbugie2;34244426]Someone brought up Avast so I replied with Tux and implied AV is not needed get Linux.[/QUOTE] Yes, let's change our OS just because our kids are visiting shady sites and getting viruses instead of getting an antivirus to protect our computer so we can throw away that silly old Windows and all those apps we rely on! Besides, do you realize how frustrating getting common things like flash to work right to a non tech-savvy person would be?

[QUOTE=Shining_Sabe;34244660]Yes, let's change our OS just because our kids are visiting shady sites and getting viruses instead of getting an antivirus to protect our computer so we can throw away that silly old Windows and all those apps we rely on! Besides, do you realize how frustrating getting common things like flash to work right to a non tech-savvy person would be?[/QUOTE] Its not too difficult, all you have to do is go and get the Other browser/Firefox package from adobe's website or alternatively use Gnash.

[QUOTE=Sanius;34244468]make sure your kids aren't visiting random shady sites to play flash games problem solved[/QUOTE] We're talking about kids here. No problem can be solved when kids are involved.

[QUOTE=doonbugie2;34243808][img]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/af/Tux.png/220px-Tux.png[/img] Problem solved.[/QUOTE] But then I cant simply install most games and play without a checklist to go through first..

[QUOTE=Dantai;34245240]But then I cant simply install most games and play without a checklist to go through first..[/QUOTE] Because god forbid you have to actually do something to play a game.

[QUOTE=S31-Syntax;34245567]Because god forbid you have to actually do something to play a game.[/QUOTE] Yes, because being less user friendly, lowered ease of access, and overall usage of the OS as a result of such, is totally okay

[QUOTE=S31-Syntax;34245567]Because god forbid you have to actually do something to play a game.[/QUOTE] uh, yeah the article is about kids having access to games most of them won't want to do the shit that linux sperglords do

[QUOTE=S31-Syntax;34245567]Because god forbid you have to actually do something to play a game.[/QUOTE] That's pretty poor reasoning. Most people play games to have fun and don't want to spend the time and effort it takes to get those games to run on linux.

[QUOTE=doonbugie2;34244774]Its not too difficult, all you have to do is go and get the Other browser/Firefox package from adobe's website or alternatively use Gnash.[/QUOTE] Difficult for kids/ordinary parents. Anyway, once again, how is changing an OS an alternative to getting an antivirus? Don't you realize some people actually like Windows and it's ease of use?

[QUOTE=Shining_Sabe;34246021]Difficult for kids/ordinary parents. Anyway, once again, how is changing an OS an alternative to getting an antivirus? Don't you realize some people actually like Windows and it's ease of use?[/QUOTE] Linux is alot easier to maintain and use from personal experience. The command line is so much easier, better structured then Windows. There are alot of options because of the massive growth of the Linux community over the passed years. Windows is a mess.

Norton sucks

[QUOTE=doonbugie2;34246123]Linux is alot easier to maintain and use from personal experience. The command line is so much easier, better structured then Windows. There are alot of options because of the massive growth of the Linux community over the passed years. Windows is a mess.[/QUOTE] And yet Windows is infinitely easier.

[QUOTE=waxrock;34246271]And yet Windows is infinitely easier.[/QUOTE] Go on? I fail to see how using Ubuntu or Fedora is harder compared to Windows.

[QUOTE=waxrock;34246271]And yet Windows is infinitely easier.[/QUOTE] that's completely dependent on what you're trying to do. windows is locked down like a motherfucker

[QUOTE=Sanius;34246335]that's completely dependent on what you're trying to do. windows is locked down like a motherfucker[/QUOTE] [QUOTE=doonbugie2;34246316]Go on? I fail to see how using Ubuntu or Fedora is harder compared to Windows.[/QUOTE] I guess your average Joe is going to find it easier to go through the terminal and type each command one by one to install a program than clicking a few buttons. What was I thinking...

[QUOTE=waxrock;34246418]I guess your average Joe is going to find it easier to go through the terminal and type each command one by one to install a program than clicking a few buttons. What was I thinking...[/QUOTE] [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8VE_rw1cNE[/media]

[QUOTE=waxrock;34246418]I guess your average Joe is going to find it easier to go through the terminal and type each command one by one to install a program than clicking a few buttons. What was I thinking...[/QUOTE] You're very uninformed. Ever heard of a package manager? [editline]16th January 2012[/editline] [img]http://img197.imageshack.us/img197/160/derppf.png[/img] If I double click that icon it installs google chrome, finds any dependencies and if it finds any it prompts me to download those hypothetical dependencies. Then thats it, its installed. Everything in linux is category sorted for the most part making it extremely easy to interact with and maintain provided you're willing to learn. Such is the same with Windows and how you did not know what was what when you first interacted with Windows. Linux isn't locked down, everything you see on my screen is optional. Example I'm using Nautilus for my file manager but I could remove it and then replace it with something else if I wanted. And a fantastic feature are package managers which have configurable repo's you can add, for example RPMForge or RPMFusion, or the default Fedorapeople repos and you can receive updates via these package managers.. example Yum. I tried to explain this in a way a Windows user could understand, don't grill me hardcore Linux users.