Owners of a Samsung digital picture frame have been warned by one online retailer that the accompanying software CD.
Amazon.com has posted a warning on its website warning that purchasers of the Samsung SPF-85H 8-Inch Digital Photo Frame could find traces of malware on the installation CD including key logging software worm.
Traces of the worm W32.Sality.AE were found on the installation disc SAMSUNG FRAME MANAGER XP VERSION 1.08, which is needed for using the SPF-85H as a USB monitor. It is thought that the issue relates to versions of the product sold between October and December 2008.
Samsung have advised that most antivirus or security software packages will recognise the malicious file and user are being requested to quarantine or delete the file, remove the software and download an updated version from the Samsung website.
Both Samsung and Amazon.com have apologised for the error.
This is not the first incident in which potentially malicious software has been found on products from big-name technology companies.
Perhaps the most high-profile case involved music group Sony BMG back in 2005 when, as part of a copy protection measure, programs known as “rootkits” were hidden within audio CD’s which automatically installed without warning to a user’s Windows PC. The rootkits exposed key flaws in the Windows operating system, prompting Sony to recall all affected CDs and back down on their copy protection measures.
In similar cases, versions of GPS units supplied by TomTom were found to contain two separate trojans in January 2007 whilst in October 2006, McDonalds Japan recalled around 10,000 promotional MP3 players after traces of a malicious worm were found.
