Ransomware pushes fake AV software

A new form of scareware is in the wind, downloading child porn and then prompting the user to "fix" the system using a bogus bit of anti-virus software called Live Security Professional. The users desktop is held ransom until the user buys the "software" to unlock and clean the system.

Of course, using the software could result in the compromise and security of the system. Reveton - a widespread piece of ransomware that infects machines, falsely accuses marks of downloading images of child abuse and demands a fine to unlock the computers.

Christopher Boyd, a senior threat researcher at ThreatTrack Security, has more on this use of ransomware to push sales of scareware in a blog post featuring screenshots here.

Users are swooped on by the software nasty after visiting websites contaminated with browser exploits and the like courtesy of the Sweet Orange Exploit Kit.