New MSN trojan spreading quickly
Disturbing news appeared few hours ago at eWeek: A new Trojan is introducing malware into thousands of computer systems worldwide, and the number is growing by the hour. The malware is being introduced by MSN Messenger files posing as pictures, mostly seeming to come from known acquaintances. The files are a new type of Trojan that has snared several thousand PCs for a bot network within hours of its launch earlier on Nov. 18 and is being used to discover virtual PCs as a means of increasing its growth vector.
The Trojan is an IRC bot that’s spreading through MSN Messenger by sending itself in a .zip file with two names. One of the names includes the word “pics” as a double extension executable—a name generally used by scanners and digital cameras: for example, DSC00432.jpg.exe. The Trojan is also contained in a .zip file with the name “images” as a .pif executable—for example, IMG34814.pif. The files are infiltrating new systems by using either known contacts from which the Trojan has harvested instant messaging names, as well as from the systems of unknown users. Doublecheck every file you receive through your MSN or your computer could easily end up as a zombie in some huge botnet…
8 Comments
Comment hidden because you are ignoring dag. (show it anyway)
Or ditch MSN Messenger - there are plenty of better, non-passport requiring alternatives.
Thanks for the warning. I only use MSN to talk to the no0b types, though.
If they ever bring out a virus named ilovevideosift.exe I am a dead man...
Thanks for the heads up, passing this along
*sigh*
How do I get rid of it? I've killed messenger so I'm not spreading it any more, but I'm concerned that I may be already pwned. What do I do?
I think an updated antivirus will work, if you are lucky.
*discard
Discarding this post - discard requested by original submitter eric3579.
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