Comments on 30,000 YouTube videos link to a malicious Web page

This is yet another example of how cyber-criminals are attacking popular Web 2.0 sites to distribute malware. Such attacks have previously been seen, to a lesser extent, on sites including Digg.com and Facebook.

Now, PandaLabs, Panda Security’s malware detection and analysis laboratory, has detected 30,000 videos on YouTube with comments containing links that point to a Web page designed to download malware.

The comments are normally suggestive, claiming that the link will take users to a legal Web page with adult content.

However, when users click the link, they are taken to a page that spoofs the original and which is really designed to download malware. On this page, users will be prompted to download a file in order to be able to view the video. If they take the bait, users will really be downloading a copy of the PrivacyCenter fake antivirus.

This malware, when run on a computer, pretends to scan the system, supposedly detecting dozens of (non-existent) viruses. It then offers users the chance to buy the paid version of the antivirus to clean their computers. The ultimate aim of cyber-crooks is to profit from the sale of this “Premium’ version.