Warning! New Trojan Identified by Symantec -- This One's Crafty!

If you have Windows XP, 2000, Server 2003, 95, 98, or NT, beware! Symantec has identified a new Trojan Horse aimed at snatching credit card details.

Once the Trojan has made its way onto your system (via an infected email, for example), The Windows-reactivation Trojan, known as "Trojan.Kardphisher," appears as a message from Microsoft with the headline "Microsoft Piracy Control." It tells the user that their current copy of Windows has been activated by another user and must be reactivated before it can be used again. It gives the user two options: reactivate Windows over the Internet immediately or do it later. (Source: newsfactor.com)

Click here for example screenshots of the scam: screenshot 1 | screenshot 2.

If the user defers reactivation, the computer shuts down. If the user decides to go ahead with the reactivation, a second screen appears that asks for a credit card number, along with the card's expiration date and three-digit security number. It even goes so far as to request an ATM PIN. (Source: newsfactor.com)

In it's warning post, Symantec also discussed the importance of prudence. The post said "this Trojan teaches us all a good lesson -- Trust No One. This is the slogan from the TV show The X-Files, and very much applies when it comes to protecting your personal information.

Sometimes the creators of Trojans attempt to impersonate Microsoft, a bank, or even a government organization. Whatever the warning or message says, we must make very sure it is genuine before giving up any personal details, financial or otherwise.

It's far better to doubt a genuine request until proper verification is provided, than it is to blindly place your trust in a communique simply because it appears to have come from a trusted source." (Source: lockergnome.com)

If you want to check out some screen shots of the Trojan, visit Symantec's website.

In the meantime, remember to heed Symantec's advice and be wary of any requests for personal information. As Symantec says, "Sad though it may be, the days of leaving your front door unlocked are over. In these times we not only need a lock on the door, we need a security guard watching the front door, the back door, and everywhere in between." (Source: lockergnome.com)