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Latest PC Virus Threat

The TVClubHouse: General Discussions ARCHIVES: 2004 Nov. - 2005 Jan.: Latest PC Virus Threat users admin

Author Message
Herckleperckle
Member

11-20-2003

Monday, January 17, 2005 - 8:42 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Just heard on the news NOT to open an email with a subject line that reads something to this effect: Tsunami Tragedy: Please Help!

Ladytex
Member

09-27-2001

Monday, January 17, 2005 - 9:51 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
New worm poses as tsunami aid appeal
by Scarlet Pruitt, IDG News Service
http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/index.cfm?go=news.view&news=4464

Could be "part of skirmish between hacker groups"

Internet users were warned Monday of a new mass mailer worm that masquerades as an appeal for aid after last month's Indian Ocean tsunami disaster.

The worm carries the subject line "Tsunami Donation! Please help!" and the text message "Please help us with your donation and view the attachment below! We need you!" The attachment, labelled "tsunami.exe," spreads the virus to other internet users, according to security firm Sophos.

Running the attached file also launches a denial-of-service (DOS) attack against German hacking site www.hacksector.de, said Sophos Chief Technology Consultant Graham Cluley. The site appeared to be down Monday morning when Sophos researchers tried to access it, Cluley added.

"This could be a skirmish between two hacker groups," Cluley said.

Sophos has received a small number of reports of the worm, VBSun-A, being found in the wild. It appears to be part of a new trend in internet hoaxes that seek to take advantage of the tsunami tragedy, Cluley said.

Sophos warned last week of a number of email scams related to the tsunami, and similar to the seemingly ubiquitous Nigerian letter scams which seek money from their recipients.

"This is a healthy reminder that people need to be very careful of what they run on their computers," Cluley said, noting that recently he's seen an increase in hoaxes based on recent news events.

Still, 2005 has started as a relatively slow year for new internet viruses, Cluley said. The most prevalent at the moment is Netsky.P, which was first discovered nine months ago, he said.


Texannie
Member

07-16-2001

Tuesday, January 18, 2005 - 6:33 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
So, it's a turf war/hoax???

Ladytex
Member

09-27-2001

Tuesday, January 18, 2005 - 7:41 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Not a hoax, Texannie. Lots of viruses/trojans are turf wars.

Texannie
Member

07-16-2001

Tuesday, January 18, 2005 - 7:49 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Didn't know that. Thanks!

Costacat
Member

07-15-2000

Tuesday, January 18, 2005 - 4:04 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
You can OPEN the email. Just do NOT click on the attachment to view it. Also, it's a good idea to turn off the Preview mode if you use Outlook (especially important if you do not have AV running), although an .exe doesn't preview.

Never ever open a .exe file sent from someone you don't know, and be wary of opening one sent from someone you do know.

Sorry... general, basic, good security takes care of almost all threats. People who don't understand the value of security tools -- be they antivirus, firewalls, IDS, or whatever -- shouldn't be allowed to use a computer! <grin>