Another Virus Spreads Through MSN

Attackers are infiltrating a computer worm via MSN Messenger affecting large number of PCs across China. Experts have cautioned users to be wary of any suspicious attachment they receive on MSN. Shanghaidaily published this on April 10, 2007.

The worm appears in a zip file attachment named "photo album". There is a message in English that invites recipients to view its new photo album. On opening the attachment the "MSN photo" worm is released, according to Chinese media report on April 9, 2007.

This virus apparently doesn't affect users' computers but it infects their MSN Messenger. The virus creator knew that sending the virus in a file through a very powerful and popular Internet medium i.e., MSN Messenger would most certainly spread it to numerous computers.

If users click on the attachment they will find their computers affected as it makes way for a backdoor that enables hackers to control the PC remotely. This way they can gather personal information, the report said.

The virus does not attack immediately. But it corrupts the computer slowly to infect all the stored data. Since the users do not know what the virus exactly does, they should not neglect it but at best clean it off their computers.

Computer security experts have worked out one solution and that is to scan the virus. After this searching the "photo album" document, would be helpful. It the user finds the file in its MSN Messenger, he should delete it not only from the file's original location but also from the Recycle bin or Trash folder. This needs repetition several times till no trace of the document remains on the computer. That would make the user safe.

In addition, those who use MSN Messenger should be careful with any file they receive through MSN and QQ, the chat software. They should verify with the senders before opening the file, said Rising Corp Ltd., a well-known anti-computer virus company in China. Shanghaidaily published this on April 10, 2007.

This virus has been found similar to the "sexy bird", a worm that also spread through MSN two years back.

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» SPAMfighter News - 4/18/2007