Flirt Bot

PC Tools have discovered a new type of online robots (botnets) that are preying on people looking for love online this season through "flirting" instant messages.

PC Tools has obtained a transcript from a victim dubbed "Mary" (the victim does not wish to reveal her identity), showing how a Flirt Bot approached her while she was on her private MSN account. While the instant "flirt" messages may be funny to read, there is a real risk posed to the victim.

Here's how Flirt Bots work:

1. The Flirt Bot strikes up a conversation in a chat room
2. The Bots use a series of easily configurable "dialogue scenarios" with pre-programmed questions and discussion topics to compile a report on every person it meets
   • E.g.: ernestineholom553@hotmail.com says: "hey, hows it going?"
3. Victims are invited to visit a website which could be used for any variety of malicious activity
   • E.g.: ernestineholom553@hotmail.com says: "Ok go to http://twurl.nl/meec1n accept the invite on the page baby"
4. In this case the victim is sent to a website "mywebcamcrush.com" and is asked to provide personal information including credit card details in order to view the "webcam."
5. The site can be used for many things - to host malicious downloads, or to try to sell you Fake AntiVirus software. The URL can do and host whatever the "bot master" specifies it to be
   • Frequently cyber-criminals collect a database of personal information and sell it to the highest bidder or anyone who will pay

These "Flirt Bots", first reported as a proof of concept by PC Tools in 2007, are now a reality and they are designed to trick users into visiting infected websites or for identity theft and financial fraud.

Disclaimer: This Threat Update has been prepared solely for informational purposes. To the extent permitted by law, PC Tools has no liability or responsibility to you whatsoever for any damage or loss caused to you or your computer system as a result of relying on this update.