This is cool stuff. We have just released a special edition of the Definition File updates with 5,567 fake codec variants. This is cool stuff!

You won't get this one anywhere else. These fake codecs have been flooding cyberspace, and we're taking a stab at them. They have been mercilessly picking up victims and tossing them aside without a second thought. They infect, regurgitate, infect again, regurgitate, infect again, and so on, and so on.

Forums around the globe are being flooded by victims of malicious codecs, created and regenerated to produce a never-ending stream of malware attacking PCs everywhere. Today, we released an extensive database of 5,567 of the most common variants of fake codecs, challenging this yet untamed malware.

A fake codec is one of the favorite methods used by the authors of malware to lure computer users into downloading a file that infects their computer. They masquerade as codecs required to view online videos, then install a fake virus to lure victims into downloading a rogue anti-spyware program to remove it. Other victims have received fake e-greetings or instant messages from friends. The fake codecs have morphed into nearly every type of malware to infiltrate and infect computer users worldwide.

You can find more information and discussion about fake codecs in the Lavasoft Support Forums.