Call out a phisher, get attacked by malware

Users tired of phishing attacks who retaliate by talking back are being targeted with exploits designed to hijack their computers, a security researcher said today.

In a new twist, phishers using the Asprox botnet have struck victims who use the scam's log-in screen to give the crooks a piece of their mind. The scammers fire off a multi-exploit attack kit against anyone who uses profanity in place of a username or password, said Joe Stewart, director of malware research at SecureWorks Inc.

Users who know better than to divulge their online banking username and password in the forms linked from phishing e-mails, but who use words such as "phish" or a wide range of what Stewart called "bad language," are targeted for a follow-up malware attack.