Hackers using Boston tragedy to build ‘botnets’

Spammers, hackers, and general Internet no-goodniks have hit a new low, according to Israeli web security company CommTouch. “In the wake of the tragedy in Boston, hackers are sending out e-mails designed to prey on the worries of people whose loved ones may have been caught up in the bombings, or who are following the breaking news.”

The two bombs that exploded at the finish line of the Boston Marathon on Monday have had repercussions far beyond that city; officials in New York, London, and many other places where large-scale public events take place on a regular basis are redoubling their security efforts and sharpening their procedures.

But the bombings have also had a profound effect on the cyber-world, as well. “The hackers started taking advantage of the mayhem in Boston almost immediately,” the company said. “Already at 6 p.m. Monday Eastern time, the first e-mails were sent out designed to take advantage of the worry and concern of people around the world.”

The messages had titles like “News bulletin: the Boston marathon explosions,” “Exclusive footage of Boston explosions,” “Live feed from Boston,” and the like — all designed to get recipients to open the messages and click on links, which would bring them to sites where harmful malware would get downloaded onto their computers.

The tactic is not new, said CommTouch, but has been increasing in frequency of late, especially when there is a major news story. Last month, hackers used the election of Pope Francis as a “come-on” to get users to click on a link that would install the Blackhole Exploit Kit on recipients’ computers.

The Kit installs an engine which allows hackers to hijack computer services at will, turning a PC into part of a botnet — a network of anonymous computers that can be used to forward spam or participate in denial of services attacks, such as the attacks Israel experienced several weeks ago, when hackers from around the world attempted unsuccessfully to “erase Israel from the Internet.” Malware sent out by hackers enrolls innocent users in botnets without their knowledge or awareness, “enslaving” the computer to do the hackers’ bidding on demand.

Another recent major story the hackers have tried to exploit was the financial crisis in Cyprus, with messages urging readers to click on links that were supposed to give them inside information on ways to protect their savings.

Those attacks weren’t one-time things, CommTouch added; both the election of the Pope and the Cyprus crisis stories generated multiple waves of problem e-mails, and the same thing is likely to happen as news emerges on the Boston bombings. “We are warning users to protect themselves in the coming days and avoid clicking on links, even if they seem legitimate, without verifying their source, as hackers are likely to continue taking advantage of the situation in Boston,” the company added.