Adware Program Takes Screenshot of Your Desktop and Uploads It Online

[frogboy]

Content source

http://news.softpedia.com/news/adware-program-takes-screenshot-of-your-desktop-and-uploads-it-online-503060.shtml

Lawrence Abrams, security researcher for Bleeping Computer, has stumbled upon a new type of adware that's not content on just blasting you with ads and collecting data on your system, but also on secretly taking a screenshot of your desktop and uploading it online.

Called Faster Internet, the program comes bundled with other legitimate software, but once installed is when the real damage will be done.

The first thing it will do is to record details regarding each user's PC setup, a technique called fingerprinting, often used in advertising to distinguish between different users.

Faster Internet collects data such as motherboard, CPU, hard drives, network adapters serials, and other similar.

Besides this highly personal information, the adware literally crosses the line into malware behavior when it takes a secret screenshot of your active desktop windows, and then uploads it to an online server.

Full Article. Adware Program Takes Screenshot of Your Desktop and Uploads It Online

 

[Cch123]

I don't think this can be considered adware anymore...

 

[DJ Panda]

Not my cup of tea. Hopefully I am protected. Security Program + Common Sense = Good Protection

 

[Kate_L]

This is not AdWare/RiskWare, this is more like a TrojWare

 

[upnorth]

...comes bundled with other legitimate software,

What other legitimate software? Searched for it but haven't been able to find an answer...

 

[frogboy]

N

What other legitimate software? Searched for it but haven't been able to find an answer...

Not sure my search did not lead anywhere either.

 

[soccer97]

Yikes, it's probably a bundled thing. I can imagine how many people are thinking "Well, if it makes my internet faster - why not try it) . I hope this does not happen. Definitely moved past adware into malware. By uploading all PC specs, It seems like a perfect way to know exactly what vulns are needed. That's a scary thought. I hope they catch the author.

 

[LabZero]

Generally it is possible to understand a malware is infecting our system when it triggers the detection of our anti-malware. But it is difficult, for us, to know what exactly does the malicious code. If we are going to analyze each malware, we would find many surprises.

 

[Anupam]

It's not adware it's a spyware

 

[Andrew999]

It's not adware it's a spyware

Well that is what I would call it.

 

[jamescv7]

Taking a screenshot of the desktop and upload online is not a new symptoms and its matter of recycled symptom effects depend on the severity risks however its not an adware but rather spyware which on the Softpedia article include #spyware as tags.