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Fake forums created to expose internet users to malware

Cyber criminals are increasingly inventing new platforms with which to expose internet users to online threats, it has emerged.

The latest trend to be discovered is the use of fake forums advertising pornography video links, according to online security firm Trend Micro.

Some 300 forums created through a popular website are said to be actively involved in the exercise and when links posted in the forums are followed, surfers are taken to a page with an embedded video player.

"When users click the screen that says 'Click here to see movie' they fall prey to a drive-by download technique as the malware already executes without users knowing it," said Loucif Kharouni, a threats analyst at the firm.

According to Kharouni internet users should especially be wary of being exposed to a trojan horse malware that lurks behind the links as it keeps changing, which makes it harder to track.

The revelation comes amid warning from the firm that cyber criminals are still using popular social networking site Facebook to lure users into their bait.

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