Malware targets online video

Security firms are warning that an increasing number of online videos are being packed with malware - adware, spyware, and computer viruses - to catch out the unwary.

The warning specifically applies to video files that require a Codec to be downloaded to allow the video to play properly.

Although many Codecs are perfectly legitimate, some work as a doorway to download adware, spyware, or viruses/trojans/worms to infect a user’s PC.

The big danger at present is that popular video sites - such as YouTube - could especially become targeted by malware, not least because of the currently unregulated nature of uploading clips to the site.

Overall, it should come as no surprise to many that virus writers are trying to exploit video - lessons that file-sharing software such as Kazaa underlined the fact that file sharing brings significant security risks.

The danger now is that those risks could go mainstream - and find a way to infect the largest number of users with least effort.

It also raises an important issue for IPTV distirbutors to bare in mind, not least proper security screening of uploaded content.