Visiting Portugal not safe

If you are seeking information regarding visa requirements and other travel-related details to Portugal it is better to visit the embassy in person rather than online.

Visiting Portugal not safe

If you are seeking information regarding visa requirements and other travel-related details to Portugal it is better to visit the embassy in person rather than online.

The official website of the Portugal embassy in New Delhi was hacked and infected by malicious codes. The codes in turn infected the computers of those who tried to log on to the embassy website.

"We are absolutely clueless about the threat. However, we will soon look into it," said a system administrator of the embassy site, preferring anonymity.

Through iframes, these malicious codes have been inserted onto the main page of the site that provides up-to-date information on the bilateral ties between the two countries along with latest news on upcoming events, tourism and other information.

These iframes redirect the user to the pages of different hosts that contain malicious codes. The programes that can be executed through these codes are WinZip File View, CreateNewFolderFromName method, MS Internet Explorer, Web View Folder Icon, Internet Explorer and Adobe Reader PDF exploit.

Hackers use a technology called Cross Side Scripting (XSS), wherein they add codes which cannot even be spotted by the website hosts. "These malicious codes is the most easy way to steal and supply the login ID and passwords," said cyber security expert Vijay Mukhi.

Malicious code or Vandals are new to the Internet threat scene. These auto-executable applications are hard to detect.

Once they enter the network or workstation, they attack and multiply aggressively causing network and mail server overload by sending email messages.

They steal data and passwords; delete files, forward confidential files and passwords to specified email. They also format hard drives leading to data loss.