Trust No One

Security company Symantec is warning about a crafty new Trojan Horse that takes advantage of Microsoft’s questionable customer-relations image.

When you restart your PC after the Trojan is installed, a professional and legitimate-appearing Microsoft window appears that warns, “Your copy of Windows was activated by another user.” It asks you if you want to “activate” your Windows copy, for which the spoofers will need your credit card information.

According to Symantec: “You can only choose only 'Yes' or 'No.' You can't run Task Manager or any other applications. If you choose 'No' your PC will be shut down immediately.” If you choose “Yes” you'll see this image.

Piracy of Windows is a real problem that Microsoft has responded to by ordering onto computers a practically-mandatory verification application. (Going on general principals, Tech Insider avoided running it for a while, but eventually succumbed to Microsoft’s insistence that the application be done.)

“This Trojan teaches us all a good lesson - Trust No One,” Symantec concludes.