Windows 8 users warned against free 'activator'

Users of Microsoft's new operating system Windows 8 were warned this week against a new malware claiming to offer to activate Windows for free.

 

Trend Micro said cybercriminals are offering the supposed activator software amid news of Microsoft’s limited offer of discounted Windows 8 upgrades.

 

"With its improved security features and performance, Windows 8 naturally generates curiosity among users and Windows supporters. Its popularity – not to mention the chance to get one for free – is what makes ruses like this effective at tricking users into downloading malware," Trend Micro fraud analyst Karla Agregado said in a blog post.

 

She advised users to consider these “free” offers with a grain of salt.

 

Agregado also said the malware appears to follow the modus operandi in similar scams last year that offered fake Windows 8 generators and antivirus programs, and phishing email.

 

"Though it’s been months since it was launched, we found out that certain bad guys are continuously using the brand to lure users into their ruse," she added.

 

Investigation showed several websites used Windows 8 as keywords and offered a fake Windows 8 “activator” that Trend Micro detects as "HKTL_KEYGEN."

 

Another site was also found to offer a supposed free Windows 8 activator, dubbed the “Windows 8 Activator Loader Extreme Edition 2013.”

 

"Once installed, HKTL_KEYGEN will require users to fill out a form with certain personal details and send an SMS message to a specific number to proceed with the next steps. If this ruse sounds familiar, it’s actually the same tactic used by the fake Windows 8 generator we blogged about last year," Agregado said.

 

She added a check of the IP address showed the sites used in the scam are hosted in Latvia or Romania, which also host .ru sites.

 

"Previously, we noticed that these addresses hosted sites that peddle fake versions of popular mobile apps like Instagram and Angry Birds," Agregado said. — TJD, GMA News