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what does smörgåsbord mean exactly huh.? Is that German for something like a crapload of stuff?
Close enough. Its an assorment, mixture, collection, etc containing a variety of sorts of things. I'm using it to refer to an assorment of various types of malware.
Online gaming sites are infested with malware and an increasing source of system infection. They can lead to other sites containing more malware which you can inadvertently download without knowledge or consent. Users visiting such sites may see innocuous-looking banner ads containing code which can
trigger pop-up ads and
Flash ads that install viruses, Trojans and spyware. Ads are a target for hackers because they offer a stealthy way to distribute malware to a wide range of Internet users.
Gaming sites can put you at risk to fraud, phishing and theft of personal data. Even if the gaming site is a clean site, there is always the potential of some type of malware making its way there and then onto your system. In some instances an infection may have caused so much damage to your system that it cannot be successfully cleaned or repaired. In those cases, recovery is not possible and the only option is to reformat/reinstall the OS.
Dangers of Gaming Sites:
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The design of online game architecture creates an open door for hackers...hackers and malware hoodlums go where the pickings are easy -- where the crowds gather. Thus, Internet security experts warn game players that they face a greater risk of attack playing games online because few protections exist....traditional firewall and antimalware software applications can't see any intrusions. Game players have no defenses...Online gaming sites are a major distribution vehicle for malware....
MMO Security: Are Players Getting Played?
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...Moral of the story?
1. Do not allow online games
2. Block ports used by online games
3. Block sites related to these online games
4. Educate your users...
online game + online trade = Trojan Spy
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...what if the company behind the games isn’t as trustworthy as it should be?...how would you know?...And, to be able to play, you always have to download a little program...But how do you know that you only have downloaded the required software? Are you really certain that your computer isn’t being infected with some sort of unwanted spyware cookie, spyware or adware? Or, worse, a Trojan!...
Why online casinos and online poker rooms can be hazardous
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...Gaming sites are notorious as sources of malware. Visitors...accept a download of a cool game or video. They get the cool game or video and the hacker gets a new zombie...
How does malware get onto a computer? (scroll down)
Dangers of Flash Ads:
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...One of the advertisements uses a Flash file to create an invisible iFrame, which is linked to an IP address containing obfuscated visual basic script and uses the MDAC exploit to download the malware...
Dangerous Malware Detected on MySpace, Bebo, Photobucket and More
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...the Flash ad contains code to open a popup that leads to a very different destination -- it's what I assume is an affiliate link that attempts to download and install ErrorSafe on your computer...
Advertiser Sneaks Malware into Flash Ad
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A new type of Internet-based attack is spreading in which Flash-based ads seize control of a Web surfer's clipboard and paste in a link to a malicious site in the hopes that it will be spread from there into e-mails, blogs, and instant messages....
Malicious Flash ads attack
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At least one in 10 web pages are booby-trapped with malware...The tricks include hacking into a web server to plant malware, or planting it within third-party widgets or advertising...
One in 10 web pages laced with malware