Hackers use bird flu emails to hijack computers


Del.icio.us  Digg  Google  Spurl  Blink  Furl  Y! MyWeb  
Share:
Sponsors:

(Reuters) - Computer hackers are exploiting fears over bird flu by releasing a computer virus attached to an email passing itself off as containing avian flu information, warned Spainish computer firm Panda Software.

The virus Naiva.A masquerades as a word document with email subject lines such as "Outbreak in North America" and "What is avian influenza (bird flu)?," said the firm on its Web site (www.pandasoftware.com).

When the file is opened, the virus modifies, creates and delete files. A second part of the virus installs a program that allows hackers to gain remote control of infected computers.

The firm said the virus can not spread on its own but needs to be manually distributed via email, Internet downlaods or file transfers.

"They fake the email header so it looks like it comes from somewhere that's authoritative," Australian computer security specialist Allan Bell said on Tuesday.



Article submitted by: Webshark
Last Update: 11-01-2005
Category: Security

Print | E-mail


Current rating: 5.66 by 62 users
Would you recommend this article to a friend?

Not a Chance 12345678910 Absolutely

Please register or sign-in to post comments.


Related News Stories

(9,209 reads) 07-05-2008
 · Fusion Security
(14,898 reads) 06-02-2007
 · NukeSentinel(tm)2.5.10 Critical Update
(13,668 reads) 05-07-2007
 · NukeSentinel(tm) 2.5.08 Maintainance Release
(15,108 reads) 03-15-2007
 · NukeSentinel(tm) 2.5.07 Reissued: Critical Update
(13,608 reads) 03-02-2007
 · NukeSentinel(tm) 2.5.06: Critical Update
(14,398 reads) 01-23-2007
 · NukeSentinel(tm) 2.5.05 released
(14,430 reads) 12-24-2006
 · NukeSentinel 2.5.04 released
(14,150 reads) 11-03-2006
 · NukeSentinel(tm) 2.5.03 Released
(18,011 reads) 10-19-2006
 · Php Nuke 8.0 Patched
(14,380 reads) 10-01-2006
 · ipBan Modification