A new technique to disguise a target URL in spam

From: DCISS (dciss_at_bigpond.net.au)
Date: 04/05/04

  • Next message: Lawrence Baldwin: "Agobot variant - with multi-vulnerability scanner" 
    Date: Mon, 05 Apr 2004 10:18:22 +1000
To: "Incidents@Security focus" <incidents@securityfocus.com>

    This is a new technique I have found to disguise a target URL in spam
    e-mail. I received an e-mail claiming that I was infected with the
    Netsky.b virus. It included a valid link to Mcafee. Hovering the mouse
    over the link shows that it is for "http://www.mcafee.com". However I
    was suspicious because the e-mail came from a completely unexpected user
    I had never sent e-mail to. Using the view source feature (I use
    Netscape), I found that the e-mail contained following interesting piece
    of code:

    <FORM action=3dhttp://aicworld=2einfo/anz=2ehtm method=3dget>
    <A href=3d"http://www=2emcafee=2ecom">
    <INPUT style=3d"BORDER-RIGHT: 0pt; BORDER-TOP: 0pt; FONT-SIZE: 10pt;
    BORDER-LEFT: 0pt; CURSOR: hand; COLOR: blue; BORDER-BOTTOM: 0pt;
    BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent;
    TEXT-DECORATION: underline" type=3dsubmit value=3dhttp://www=2emcafee=2ecom>
    </a>
    ...
    </FORM>

    (note that the dots in the URLs have been escaped for some reason)

    This code creates an invisible form which appears to be a link to a
    reputable antivirus company. However clicking on the link instead
    brings us to aicworld.info/anz.htm. I wasn't going to risk my home
    computer on an unsafe link, and by the time I tried on a work computer,
    the site was down, so I don't know what clicking on the link would have
    downloaded. Has anybody else seen this techique before, or know what
    was being propagated?

    Mark Goldfinch

    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Free 30-day trial: firewall with virus/spam protection, URL filtering, VPN,
    wireless security

    Protect your network against hackers, viruses, spam and other risks with Astaro
    Security Linux, the comprehensive security solution that combines six
    applications in one software solution for ease of use and lower total cost of
    ownership.

    Download your free trial at
    http://www.securityfocus.com/sponsor/Astaro_incidents_040301
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

  • Next message: Lawrence Baldwin: "Agobot variant - with multi-vulnerability scanner"
    • Quantcast