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Malware Installed On Travelers’ Laptops Through Software Updates On Hotel Internet Connections

May 8, Internet Crime Complaint Center – (International) Malware installed on travelers’ laptops through software updates on hotel Internet connections. Recent analysis from the FBI and other government agencies demonstrates that malicious actors are targeting travelers abroad through pop-up windows while establishing an Internet connection in their hotel rooms, the Internet Crime Complaint Center reported May 8. Recently, there have been instances of travelers’ laptops being infected with malicious software while using hotel Internet connections. In these instances, the traveler was attempting to setup the hotel room Internet connection and was presented with a pop-up window notifying the user to update a widely-used software product. If the user clicked to accept and install the update, malicious software was installed on the laptop. The pop-up window appeared to be offering a routine update to a legitimate software product for which updates are frequently available. The FBI recommended that all government, private industry, and academic personnel who travel abroad use extra caution before updating software while connected to hotel Internet connections.

Source: http://www.ic3.gov/media/2012/120508.aspx

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Written by Ali Loney

Ali Loney is a Senior UX Designer at Walmart Labs. She is based in Canada and was the former Graphic Designer at Sonatype.