Security - Osama Bin Laden Scam

Danger: Avoid any site with wgutv.com or buddylinks.net in the URL!

In chapter 3 of Always Use Protection, you learn about ActiveX controls, what they are and what they do. You also learned that once they get on your system, they can do anything.

So it's no surprise that virus writers will do everything possible to trick you into installing an ActiveX control. Here's a web page that's been making the rounds.

Anyone trying to get you to install and ActiveX control is automatically suspect. If this one is what it claims to be (which I won't guarantee), it's a pretty nasty form of AdWare/SpyWare. The program installs itself on your system, and starts sending messages to people on your buddy list (pretending to be from you). In those messages it tries to convince them to infect themselves with the virus! It can also start bringing up popup ads to you. Pretty slimy I think.

Removal:

Go to your Add-Remove programs and remove anything called "BuddyLinks"

Here's a trick question:

Clicking on the Install link shown here would not install the control. Why?

Answer: I was using the Netscape browser, which doesn't support ActiveX controls.