Scumbags. (Photo: Sophos)

The dirtbags who make malware are at it again. Sophos's Naked Security blog reports that scammers are already taking advantage of Monday's bombing at the Boston Marathon, because they have zero sense of decency.

Scammers are sending out emails with subject lines like, "2 Explosions at Boston Marathon," "Aftermath to explosion at Boston Marathon," and "Boston Explosion Caught on Video." Inside the emails is a link to a website with the promised YouTube videos--plus a Windows virus. "Clearly, there are no depths to which cybercriminals are not prepared to stoop in their hunt for victims," Sophos said.

As the Daily Dot points out, it's not the first attempt to capitalize on the horrible incident--see the fake Twitter account that popped up almost immediately, soliciting RTs for $1 donations--and it probably won't be the last. A little skepticism goes a long way. Sophos concludes acidly:

"Remember to be on your guard against such tactics. Maybe it's time to get your news from legitimate news websites rather than an unsolicited email which arrives in your inbox?"

Might want to pass that along to your great aunt that forwards all the chain letters.

(Photo: Facebook)

First they came for smoking in parks, but we didn't speak out because we don't like to subject other people to our own waltz with death; then they came for the soda, but we didn't speak out because we're kind of impartial about sugary beverages. But when they came for the vibrators? That's when shit got real.

The NYPD put the kibosh on Trojan's vibrator giveaway yesterday, lamely claiming that the crowd had grown too large and Trojan needed a city permit.

“I’m 57 years old. I should be able to get a vibrator!” one outraged New York citizen told the New York Post, which could barely contain its glee at the overflowing opportunity for incredible puns.

For example:

Trojan sent tingles of excitement across the city when it announced the giveaway of some 10,000 vibrating sex toys from hot-dog-style pushcarts ... But instead of climaxing in a successful giveaway, the promotion was prematurely interrupted by City Hall, which sent a dark-suited representative to put the squeeze on Trojan’s “Pleasure Carts.”

Time to disrupt the NYPD?

(Photo: Facebook)

It's the dog days of summer--humid and sticky and icky--so we can't blame you if you're looking for some sweet relief. If you're pining for a pick-me-up that doesn't involve an icy alcoholic beverage or a slab of street meat, perhaps Trojan can interest you in a lil' somethin somethin.

According to the New York Times, the company is handing out free samples of its Tri-Phoria and Pulse "personal massagers." You know what that means. ;)

Trojan has transformed two hot dog carts into "Pleasure Carts" and will be pushing them up and down the streets of Manhattan to designated locations in the Flatiron and Meatpacking district (how appropriate). There, the teams will hand out vibrators--until supplies last, of course.

They're actually going to be in the Flatiron today at 4. Hmm, we think we know a few tech startups in that area.

He doesn't feel so good. (Wikimedia Commons)

Turns out, cybercriminals can bring home some decent money, after all--at least until someone catches on and shuts down their latest revenue stream. After some reverse-engineering, the sleuths at Symantec have puzzled out the motivation behind the Mac Flashback botnet: Stealing Google's ad revenue. Because, as a clever man once said, that's where the money is.

Translating the highly technical Symantec post, PC Magazine explains:

Here's how it works: when an infected user conducts a Google search, Google will return its normal search results. Flashback waits for someone to click on an ad, and once this happens the user is silently directed to another, irrelievant ad that generates revenue for the attackers.

Symantec concludes, "This ultimately results in lost revenue for Google and untold sums of money for the Flashback gang." How much money? At the height of the infection, ballpark $10,000. Per day.

Though we can't imagine that's hurting the GOOG's bottom line too much.

We wonder what attendees at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas happening now think when they see the Trojan booth, set up next to the bar. What would a condom company being doing at a gadget show? Debuting the iCondom? Revealing some cutting edge touch screen sex technology running Android 3.0? Is it a condom that tweets during?

"We have some amazing innovations of condoms that are unlike anything that's been offered before," a vendor from Trojan told MSNBC.

Not exactly. While a tweeting condom would have won CES for Trojan for a year, the company came out to show off its Trojan 2Go Condom Card, a pocket size case that protects two condoms.

Trojan just wants to be associated with edginess. "What better place than CES to show our innovations?" Trojan's CES man said.

Or maybe he just got lost trying to find The Adult Entertainment Expo, also in Vegas this week.

ajeffries [at] observer.com | @adrjeffries

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