They perform some, or all, of these actions: 1) display intrusive advertisements 2) gather sensitive information, and 3) modify web browser options. Rogue programs have very similar behavior. These sites, in turn, are likely to promote various unwanted programs and cryptocurrency miners. If you notice that your account automatically sends messages or dubious links to your friends (they might complain about receiving them), your computer is infected and your account has been hacked.Īs mentioned above, some links promoted by Skype viruses lead to malicious websites. In some cases, a 'friendly' message (e.g., ' Hey, check this video' or similar) is displayed together with the link.īy including the text, cyber criminals attempt to make these deceptive messages look believable, however, it is a scam. These messages contain links to various (, malicious) websites. Whether the computer is infected or not, the end result is identical: cyber criminals employ hijacked accounts to send private messages to all contacts. Therefore, cyber criminals take advantage of this by breaching users' accounts. The old login (Skype name) and password can still be used to access the account.

Microsoft offers a feature allowing users to connect Skype and Microsoft accounts to ease the login process and enhance security.

In some cases, cyber criminals perform these tasks remotely. Some infiltrate the system, some hijack the Skype account remotely, however, their purpose and behavior are virtually identical.Īfter successful system infiltration, Skype viruses hijack user accounts and send unwanted messages to all contacts. There are a number of different malware types relating to Skype. Skype virus is a generic name for all Skype telecommunication software-related malware.

Skype technologies sa virus