Security Alert - Be careful with typos and popular websites

Although these types of infections have been around for years, these seem to be particularily dangerous. Please read on.
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From SANS - Internet Storm Center (4-27-05)

Google != Googkle

Reader Alan Phelps wrote in this morning to alert us to a malicious site that has registered a domain that might be entered as a typo for google.com. DO NOT VISIT THIS SITE!

Visiting this site installs about 49 pieces of spyware, uses the local hosts file to block access to popular anti-virus websites, and offers a link to a website that sells AV and anti-spyware tools with the slogan "We help people"... No comment.

Update 2005-04-27 @ 10:21 UTC

Several readers have written in to add that there are several other sites similar to the Googkle site including: msnm(dot)com, gfoogle(dot)com, ghoogle(dot)com, googfle(dot)com, luycos(dot)com, msn1(dot)com, passpport(dot)com and xcnn(dot)com.

Did I mention that you should NOT visit these sites?

More information on googkle is available at http://www.f-secure.com/v-descs/googkle.shtml

Thanks to Juha-Matti Laurio, Barrie Dempster, Gene Chen, Arjan Haringa and anonymous posters who submitted their reports regarding this and other sites.