A hacking tool in circulation on the internet is letting cybercriminals create fake YouTube websites for malicious ends, security researchers have warned.

The toolkit, spotted by Trend Micro, offers anyone with basic programming skills – people often referred to as 'script kiddies' – the chance to create a fake YouTube page.

However, Trend Micro have so far only spotted a Spanish-language version of the tool.

"This could be very dangerous because it is very accessible to script kiddies who could use it for their malware and hacking operations. Users are advised to always check the URLs of pages they are viewing," said Trend Micro's Reuben Mercado.

The scam works when a window pops up asking the surfer to install a missing component in order to see the video on the YouTube site.

Mercado said that the tactic of prompting surfers to install a missing codec when trying to watch a video was nothing new.

"Fake codecs remain popular masks for malware. The popularity of YouTube also makes it a preferred target for malware users who want to infect more users," he said.

www.trendmicro.com
www.youtube.co.uk

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