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Mobile Security Industry News

[July 25, 2005]

Credit Card Theft by Spyware Elite Toolbar (EliteBar); SaferSurf.com Warns: Spyware Elite Sends Credit Card Information to Third Parties

LEIPZIG, Germany --(Business Wire)-- July 25, 2005 -- The Spyware lab at SaferSurf http://www.safersurf.com established that there is a high security risk when installing Elite Toolbar. Tests have revealed that the Spyware not only sends the postal and email addresses of unsuspecting users to third parties but it is also involved in credit card theft. The Trojan Elite Toolbar, EliteBar for short, is a browser hijacker that inserts itself into Internet Explorer, pretending to be a search bar for a search engine. All search queries are re-routed to Searchmiracle.com even though this site provided no search results when tested. Elite also changes the start page of Internet Explorer, slows the internet connection and makes difficult or even prevents access to encrypted sites (https).

The greatest security risk of Spyware EliteBar stems from its "autofill" option that offers to automatically fill out entry fields on websites, such as address and credit card forms. Tests conducted by SaferSurf.com have revealed that private data, including credit card information, are sent to various websites and IP addresses immediately after they have been filled in. The EliteBar60 file registers itself automatically over Internet Explorer while ActiveX is engaged and stores various registry entries in such places as the so-called Browser Helper Objects (BHO).

"Our users are protected by a real-time data filter from loss of highly sensitive data through Spyware and Trojans," states Rene Holzer, CEO of Nutzwerk, the inventor of SaferSurf.com. "Spyware like EliteBar, however, presents an unpredictable risk to unprotected users," Holzer explains.

About SaferSurf.com Security

When using SaferSurf.com (http://www.safersurf.com), all websites as well as files and email that the user downloads over the Internet, have already been screened on SaferSurf servers. The entire stream of data and all critical files that could contain a virus, worm or trojan are immediately screened using the latest filters before it enters the home computer. If there is danger of infection the user receives a warning notice instead of the infected data. The entire process occurs in real time and is not noticed by the user. SaferSurf also works without having to install anti-virus or firewall software. In 2005 the German Technical Inspection Agency (TUV) tested the virus protection functions and, after thorough examinations, issued the "Certified Anti-Virus Protection" seal. SaferSurf also compresses data and accelerates web surfing by as much as three times. The German magazine "Computerbild" declared SaferSurf the winner in an "anonymous surfing" test.

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