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| The Hagbard worm can pose as downloadable pirated
console games on file-sharing networks. |
Experts at SophosLabs™, Sophos's global
network of virus, spyware and spam analysis centers, have
discovered a worm that spreads via instant messaging chat systems
and poses as pirated video games on file-sharing networks.
The W32/Hagbard-A worm can
pose on file-sharing networks as one of over 400 different
downloadable programs, including disk images of popular PS2 and
XBOX console games such as "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas" and
"Need For Speed Underground 2".
Once the worm has infected a computer, it can send instant
messages to other users of Windows Messenger, containing a link and
the following text:
please download this...its only small
brb
The link points to a copy of the worm stored on the infected
computer.
"Because this worm can arrive in the form of an instant message,
some users may be fooled into thinking it has come from a friend or
colleague rather than a virus on their PC," said Graham Cluley, senior
technology consultant for Sophos. "The reference to 'brb' is
shorthand for 'be right back'. What the recipient doesn't realise
is that once infected remote hackers can gain unauthorized access
to the data on their computers."
Sophos reports that often virus writers have used popular
cultural icons such as film stars, video games and musicians to
entice people into running their malicious code. Last year Sophos
reported how the
prevalent Netsky-P worm could pose as a Harry Potter computer
game.
"The video game business is huge, and they are fighting internet
pirates just like the music and movie industries. People who are in
the habit of downloading illegal copies of games from the net are
not only damaging the video games industry, they are also
potentially putting their own computer at risk of infection,"
continued Cluley. "The best advice is not only keep your anti-virus
and firewall defenses up-to-date, but also to never download
pirated software from the net."
Sophos recommends companies put in place a consolidated solution to defend against viruses,
spyware and spam, and ensure that it automatically updated as new
threats emerge.
More than 100 million users in 150 countries rely on Sophos as the best protection against complex threats and data loss. Sophos is committed to providing security and data protection solutions that are simple to manage, deploy and use and that deliver the industry's lowest total cost of ownership. Sophos offers award-winning encryption, endpoint security, web, email, and network access control solutions backed by SophosLabs - a global network of threat intelligence centers. With more than two decades of experience, Sophos is regarded as a leader in security and data protection by top analyst firms and has received many industry awards.
Sophos is headquartered in Boston, US and Oxford, UK. More information is available at www.sophos.com.