Press Release

Promise of Secure Porn Browsing Lures People into Installing Rootkit, Trojan

NetBrowserPro misdirects users

FOSTER CITY, CALIF. - March 28, 2007 - When: Discovered March 28, 2007

What: NetBrowserPro, a Web browser, promises secure porn browsing, but installs a rootkit and a Trojan called MovieCommander. Moviecommander is disguised as a fake media codec. A rootkit is a set of tools intended to conceal running processes, files or system data from the operating system.

When the user installs the NetBrowserPro from Browsezilla.org with the 121.exe file, they agree to allow the program to update and modify itself without notification and have third party applications interact with the browser. Many of the photo galleries linked from the browser will redirect the end-user to an unintended location, which is potentially a security threat.

Who: FaceTime Security Labs, the threat research and remediation arm of FaceTime Communication discovered the browser.

Why: Individuals are increasingly creating fake browsers to deceive users and direct Internet traffic, based on FaceTime research. With fake browsers and other adware, they can gain control of computers by tricking the user, instead of exploiting more complex software vulnerabilities. Users can also fall victim to data and identity theft or violations of privacy when using rogue browsers.

The FaceTime research team offers a detailed accounting of the infection and the possible motives at blog.spywareguide.com/2007/03/netbrowserpro_the_porn_browser.html


About Actiance, Inc. (Formerly FaceTime Communications, Inc.)

FaceTime Communications became Actiance, Inc on January 11, 2011 following an agreement to transfer the FaceTime trademark to Apple.
FaceTime Communications enables the safe and productive use of Unified Communications and Web 2.0, including instant messaging, blogs and social networking. Ranked number one by IDC for five consecutive years, FaceTime's award-winning solutions are used by more than 1,500 customers for the security, management and compliance of real-time communications. FaceTime supports or has strategic partnerships with all leading IM, unified communications providers and social networks including AOL, Google, Yahoo!, Skype, Microsoft, IBM, Cisco, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.
FaceTime is headquartered in Belmont, California. For more information visit http://www.facetime.com or call 888-349-3223.

PR Contact Information:

Sarah Carter
Actiance, Inc.
650-631-6452
scarter@actiance.com
Catherine Koo / Amy Robinson
LEWIS PR for Actiance
619-677-2700
actiance@lewispr.com