DigiKeyGen, a new spyware program that blackmails users

PandaLabs has discovered a new spyware program called DigiKeyGen, which tricks users by claiming to give free access to pornographic web content. This program is housed in a web page that allows visitors to download a password generator in order to access adult resources, which users normally have to pay for.

However, when users run DigiKeyGen, they receive passwords that supposedly give access to pornographic websites, and at the same time, a spyware program and an alleged anti-spyware application are installed on the computer without users realizing. It then warns users that their computer is infected and offers them the anti-spyware program to clean the system for $49.95.

PandaLabs has discovered that DigiKeyGen can be downloaded from other websites offering adult content as well as from the official page of the program.

Luis Corrons, director of PandaLabs warns, “You must always be suspicious of offers for anything in exchange for almost nothing. Cyber-crime, which aims to make easy money, simply applies traditional fraud techniques to the Internet and as a result, anybody tempted by the chance to get something for nothing is taken in, unaware of the risks of apparently harmless actions, such as downloading small programs or accessing certain websites.”

The technique used in this case is nothing new. Other alleged anti-spyware programs detected in the past, such as RazeSpyware or SpySheriff, also had the same aim as DigiKeyGen, kindly offering to clean inexistent spyware, or spyware that has been installed with the user’s consent for a modest fee.