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[francois]

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Creators of virus open virtual shops from infected PC

HELSINKI (AFP) - 29/03/2004, 16.44pm - The creators of some of the most recent computer viruses use computers infected as base of on-line shops ghosts intended to collect numbers of credit cards of the gullible users, warned experts on Monday.

" There is false on-line shops from personal computers, which are controlled by +hackers + and criminals ", indicated to AFP Mikko Hyppoenen, responsible for the antivirus search for the company of computer security F-Secure.

" There are inquiries (of police) current, and we try to know which viruses they use. He could involve the most recent viruses, as Bagle or Mydoom ", he added.

Most of the computer viruses appeared recently open hidden doors on the contaminated computers, without knowing their owners.

The experts thought at first that these stolen accesses were only intended to make machines contaminated by the relay platforms for the sending of "spams", e-mails non-sought in often advertising character, but they can a priori be of use to any ill-intentioned act, including as frauds, explained Mr Hyppoenen.

" A false on-line shop is one of the things that we can make with a hidden door ", estimated Snorre Fagerland, of the firm Norman in Oslo.

To avoid being discovered, the incriminated trade sites move constantly of computer in computer, leaving with the buyers of the other track than the IP address of the infected computer which recorded the coordinates of their check card - and the owner of which has no idea of what took place.

" There are hundreds of infected computers which are used, and the sites of the false on-line shops change base approximately every ten minutes ", noted Mikko Hyppoenen.

" Behind every address, there is an infected personal computer, so that it is impossible to go back up towards people who have to create the site ", he added.

Most of the false sites of on-line sale look like completely true, and a little suspicious buyer is easily allowed fool, according to Mr Fagerland.

It is carefully necessary to examine the trade sites which make too tempting offers before buying whatever it is, he underlines: " can anybody sell this software so little dear(expensive)? And is there a means to return in touch with the salesman by telephone or with a normal address? If not, it is better to remain careful! "

The careless buyer often realizes a little late that he was swindled, the ordered arriving goods while his bank account was sold (debited).

Their authors can use banking coordinates so harvested either to sell directly the credit cards, or to finance criminal activities, indicated to AFP Timo Laine, inspector to the Finnish police.

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francois