Erin Andrews becomes latest malware lure

US sportscaster Erin Andrews is being used in the latest malware trap

A controversial video of US television reporter Erin Andrews has become the latest tool for spreading malware.

Security experts are warning users after multiple attacks were discovered which promise video files and then attempt to install malware disguised as a video player.

Andrews, who reports for US sports network ESPN, made headlines earlier this week when an illegal peephole video of the star undressing in her hotel room was posted online.

To take advantage of the wave of traffic generated by users searching for the video, malware writers disguised their wares as copies of the video clip in the hope of infecting both Mac and PC users.

The practice of piggybacking on current events has become a staple for malware distributors. Major events such as the death of Michael Jackson and the inauguration of Barack Obama were both used to push spam and malware.

"Whatever internet trend bubbles up, they jump on it, duping us into infecting our own computers," wrote Sophos senior security analyst Carole Theriault in a blog post.

"The bad guys set up legitimate-looking web pages and fire their links around via online ads, pop-ups, comment boards, Facebook, Twitter etc, to lure us into their sophisticated traps, turning our systems into slaves."

Users are advised to avoid such attacks by keeping systems updated, running security software and avoiding suspicious links and email attachments.