Beware Storm Worm e-mail virus deluge
Postini said that two variations of the Storm Worm virus, which originally spread across the Internet in January, have quickly driven global virus levels 60 times higher than their daily average. E-mail users should be on alert for messages with "love"-related subject lines and an executable attachment that would contain a Trojan virus, as well as messages with "Worm Alert!" subject lines that contained a .zip file full of malicious code.
Postini, which is based in San Carlos, Calif., says it processes more than 2 billion messages per day in order to compile its reports.
According to warning notices from Postini as well as VeriSign, which also has been following the threat, clicking on the executable file in one of the new Storm Worm e-mails installs a rootkit with anti-security measures that mask the malicious software's presence from virus scans and shut down security programs that may be running. The virus then taps into a private peer-to-peer network where it can download new updates and upload personal information from the compromised computer. Additionally, the virus scans the machine's hard drive to locate e-mail addresses to which it can replicate itself.
Ultimately, computers infected with this virus become unknowing "zombies" in a botnet that are used to send out spam and further the attacks. "It is highly likely that this latest attack will result in many more downloads, pump-and-dump attacks, and more as seen with former Storm Worm attacks to date," Ken Dunham, director of VeriSign's Rapid Response Team, said in a statement Thursday.
The recent Storm Worm proliferation, coupled with a similar attack earlier this week that involved e-mails with "missile attacks" in the subject line, have made this the most active week for e-mail virus attacks in at least a year, according to Postini.
Can Read story here
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/products/cnet/2007-04-13-storm-worm-virus_N.htm
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Comments (14)
Nathan Ramsey4
My First Website http://nathanramsey2.googlepages.com/freeresponsiveglobaladvertising
Jennifer Underwood11
Promoter
Thanks Wendy...if you don't mind I will be posting my update on this matter in my blog...just to keep everyone up to date! ;0)
Thank you Wendy for letting us all know!
Joseph Botelho15
Working on one project at a time.
Not bad information to have around Wendy good stuff and thanks for sharing it with all of us................:)
Max Merrill7
Jack of All Trades
Very Informative blog wendy, A must top!!! GOOD WORK!
James Parker6
AAAAAAAAAA
What a great blog keep up the good work.
Jennifer Underwood11
Promoter
Nope, I was using AVG before Invisus. Invisus found over 300 spyware TROJANS that AVG did not find!
Mark Hultgren7
Wordpress Specialist
I like to use AVG Free version for my anti virus. You can download a free copy (for personal use only) from www.grisoft.com
I have been using their AV for the last five years now and have yet to get a virus or worm on either of my home systems. The update their definitions daily and it's all free!
BTW, we also use the corporate version of this package for our Company server and workstations too! Best AV I have found and the price is right too!
Cheryl Baumgartner12
Medical Billing/Coding/Insurance
Thank you Wendy. the biggest deterrent to these things is awareness and education. Hackers depend on us being unaware and trusting enough to click on links or open e-mails. Since that doesn't work anymore now they use our friends against us. It's always better to know but if you can't know, be suspicious.
Jennifer Underwood11
Promoter
And with what you said Wendy...that shows just why you and everyone else NEEDS Invisus!
Jennifer Underwood11
Promoter
'Storm worm' exploits YouTube
Spammers may have changed tactics, targeting a familiar Web site rather than PCs for the purpose of spreading the trojan.
By Liam Tung
Special to CNET News.com
Published: October 10, 2007, 6:09 AM PDT
Tell us what you think about this storyTalkBackE-mail this story to a friendE-mailView this story formatted for printingPrint Add to your del.icio.usdel.icio.us Digg this storyDigg this
'Storm worm' exploits YouTube
Spammers are exploiting YouTube's "invite your frien
Jennifer Underwood11
Promoter
The YouTube help center also advises people to exclude the service@youtube.com e-mail address from spam filtering lists--a fact, Anstis, said spammers are likely aware of.
Security vendor Sophos has also reported the YouTube spam problem. Senior technology consultant for the company, Graham Cluley, said this incident differs from the technique commonly associated with the Storm worm, which typically targets PCs for the job of sending spam.
According to Cluley, the YouTube spamming marks a depa
Wendy7
They had a huge discussion on the news this am about it
Said it is extremely hard to get rid of
WEndy
Jennifer Underwood11
Promoter
Thank you for this post. See you can become an Internet Security Advocate like me :0)....get paid for just doing this!
This is a very serious virus! Thanks again for the post!
Jeff Greene8
Online Marketing Specialist/Consultant
I wish that i could TOP this blog 20 times! Thank you, Wendy for keeping up with this kind of news, it's much more important than anything we will ever see on TV! :)
I'm also going over to Computer World- they have new virus reports updated daily.