PornTube Malware Spam

This e-mail has all the characteristics of PornTube Malware spam, reported in June 2008 on the MX Logic.com Blog.

These e-mails are normally plain text e-mails with an enticing, random subject line and the contents of the e-mail is normally a single line written in the format of a news headline, followed by a URL, creating the impression that the link points to a news article, where the user can read further about the (fake) newsworthy event. Spammers seem to use this technique more often these days and the spam easily adapt to current events like the U.S. elections.

All URL's we've seen so far point to a file called 'r.html', normally located in the root directory of a top-level domain or even a sub domain.

These pages contain pornographic material and attempts to infect your PC with a rogue ActiveX Control.

No matter what the subject line or contents of the e-mail, you should always use common sense when dealing with spam like this. Why would an e-mail from excipien@commercialappeal.com, about memorabilia for heroes, point to the site livresedotabaco.com for a news article about an FBI surveillance team that revealed certain trade secrets? The total lack of relevance between the different parts of this e-mail is enough reason to stay away from the dodgy URL.