![]() ![]() When you download freeware, or use cost-free services (streaming and downloads, for example), the service provider is making profit somehow. “As with everything in the internet, remember that there are no free lunches. Check Point’s researchers echo this sentiment: Given the threat of widespread harm, it’s important that users think twice before downloading freeware. As such, Rafotech could easily abuse it to harvest sensitive information from infected machines, drop additional malware, and execute code on the networks of some of the world’s largest enterprises. Fireball possesses the ability to run any code on an infected machine. Well, there’s the potential for MUCH greater harm. The fake search engines include tracking pixels used to collect the users’ private information.”įrom there, Fireball installs plugins to boost the advertisements for Rafotech’s fake search engines and generate ad revenue. This redirects the queries to either or. “Rafotech uses Fireball to manipulate the victims’ browsers and turn their default search engines and home-pages into fake search engines. As Check Point’s threat researchers explain: Upon successful installation, the Beijing-based marketing firm leverages the malware to its advantage. To create a sense of legitimacy, Fireball even comes with digital certificates, files which no doubt smaller issuers with flexible ethics are responsible for having doled out. ![]() The company uses a shady form of monetizing known as “bundling” where it pairs the malware with some of its other products or other freeware distributors. Well, it all starts when Rafotech installs Fireball on an unsuspecting user’s computer. So what does a standard Fireball infection look like? (After all, we’ve seen companies take the lead on other malware campaigns just recently.) It therefore comes as no surprise that Rafotech, a digital marketing company based in China, is behind it. ![]() Needless to say, it takes a lot of resources to generate such a high volume of infections. ![]()
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