Students Alerted of Phishing E-mail Claiming DGTFX Virus Infection

The ITS (Information Technology Services) office at Vanderbilt University (U.S) is trying to warn the university community about the risks associated with e-mail scams. It stated that it knew about one phishing scam that was currently targeting users at Vanderbilt, with the related e-mails posing as messages from the 'Webmail Technical Team' and cautioning of an erroneous 'DGTFX virus.'

Reportedly, the fraudulent e-mail displays a caption, "Warning Notice!!!" while its text says that the recipient's folders have been found infected with a DGTFX virus. Therefore the user must upgrade his or her e-mail account to the novel Secured DGTFX anti-virus 2009 to stop possible harm towards logging into web-mail as also against damages to important files, the message continues.

It then states that the user can download the AV application by clicking a given link, filling out the queries asked and then transmitting the same back. Surprisingly, the queries in the e-mail relate to the user's username, password, birth-date and phone number amongst others.

Alongside, the e-mail warns that if the recipient fails to furnish the information, then his e-mail account would be terminated immediately in order that the virus doesn't spread further. Also, if the necessary information is not dispatched, the user would not be able to log in, once logged out, the e-mail further warns.

Meanwhile, describing phishing, officials at the university said, it involves an exercise whereby victims are phished off their private information through making them visit a phony, phishing site. To achieve this, victims are sent e-mails, which seem to arrive from trusted companies while trying to convince users to reveal their passwords and other sensitive and financial details, alternatively trying to plant a worm onto their PCs.

Says ITS it has stopped any additional fake e-mails from the malicious e-mail id, however, it advises all university students who might have got the phishing e-mail to delete it instantly without replying and if anyone has by now replied with his/her financial or personal details then he/she must change his/her password.

Meanwhile, security specialists suggest that e-mail users in general should watch out for these kinds of e-mail scams.

Related article: Storm Worm Returns with Follow-Up Attack

» SPAMfighter News - 8/11/2009