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Hocking so-called "scareware" is the latest lucrative business in cybercrime, says Symantec... The bogus ads are everywhere. A pop-up tells you: "Your computer may be infected" and urges you to download security software that will scan your computer for viruses, protect it from future infection or both. The problem is most of these products are scams that give you software which is useless. In some cases, the software is even dangerous because it downloads malicious code onto your computer.
The threat from these "scareware" tactics is growing, according to the results of a report released Monday by Symantec Corp. The Report on Rogue Security Software reveals that cybercriminals are profiting from a highly organized affiliate-based business model that rewards scammers for selling bogus security programs to users caught off-guard by persuasive online scare tactics.
Symantec: Rogue Security Software is Big Business for Crooks