Warning - New Scam Involving "found" U3 Usb Flash Drives

[waldwolf]

Members should be aware there is a "new" scam making the rounds, which could cause your computer to become seriously infected with malware.

The bad guys are now dropping cheap, low capacity, infected USB U3 Flash Drives in various public places, hoping the "finder" will think someone has accidently lost it. The finder then takes the drive home and plugs it into his computer. The "found" drive (being a U3 device) now automatically installs malware (most likely some type of rootkit or keylogger) in the unsuspecting owners computer.

UK authorities are reporting an increasing number of these scams. (Undoubtly copycat schemes are sure to follow.)

Should you find such a drive in your local car park or on the sidewalk, DO NOT plug the drive into your computer.

waldwolf

[cdnvic]

Cheers for the heads up Waldwolf

[LivinLOS]

Nice.. Could do with another flash drive..

Plug in on a linux box and format it !!

[chingching]

This is interesting. Hope they can fix it soon, bc it would be hard to turn up a free usb drive. Not much on google, but here is how to do put malware on a regular usb too. Seems rather simple to do, even disables your virus checker. http://www.averageadmins.com/blog/2006/11/...with-a-usb-key/

[britmaveric]

Always use a junk machine not connected to a network, reformat usb drive. Then life is peachy!!!

[lingling]

Turn off the pesky autorun crap and you'll be safe from both USB drives, Sony music CDs with rootkit installers etc etc

[whatsupdoc]

I'd like a free USB flash drive for my iMac!

[Phil Conners]

Turn off the pesky autorun crap and you'll be safe from both USB drives, Sony music CDs with rootkit installers etc etc

Exactly, and yet another reason why MicroSlush should be taken out and shot for using brain dead default settings.