Expect iPhone, Fourth of July scams, security firm says

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July 3, 2008 (Computerworld) Apple Inc.'s launch of its new iPhone 3G will produce a flurry of spam and scams, a security company warned today.

Users should also expect a Storm botnet campaign this weekend that touts the Fourth of July holiday in the U.S., said MX Logic Inc. in its monthly threat forecast.

The Englewood, Colo.-based security firm said "significant spam, scams and malware campaigns" touting the rollout of the iPhone 3G on July 11 would likely reach users starting next week. "Scams will be especially prevalent if supply doesn't meet demand," said the company in the July forecast it posted earlier this week to its Web site (download PDF).

MX Logic cited a notice published by rival Websense Inc. in San Diego last month of an iPhone 3G scam that had made the rounds among users in South America. Two weeks ago, Websense warned that users who clicked on links in e-mail touting the new Apple smart phone risked infection by malware posing as Apple marketing video.

Also on MX Logic's radar for the month is the Storm Trojan, which the company predicted would again use the Fourth of July holiday to tempt users into clicking on malicious links.

"The July Fourth holiday marks the one-year anniversary of the Storm worm e-card campaign that several other Storm variants have since latched onto," said the company's forecast. "MX Logic expects to see Storm release another July Fourth variant again this year."

Last year, researchers linked Storm -- a bot Trojan that collects compromised computers into large armies of PCs ready to spread spam or more malware -- to a massive surge in spam during July.