[Sca-cooks] FW: Computer Worm Warning

[Jeanne Papanastasiou]

This is a multi-part message in MIME format.
--
[ Picked text/plain from multipart/alternative ]




Internet Worm Disguised as E-Mail from Microsoft
Mon May 19, 2003 03:09 PM ET
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - A new computer worm that disguises itself as an
e-mail from Microsoft Corp. is spreading, computer security firms warned on
Monday.The e-mail containing the worm, dubbed Palyh or Mankx, appears to
come from support at microsoft.com, but is not from the software company.When
the attachment is opened, the worm copies itself to the Windows folder,
scoops up e-mail addresses from the hard disk and starts sending itself out,
said U.K-based Sophos.The malicious program can spread itself to other
Windows machines on a local area network, anti-virus vendors said.It also
can secretly install spyware programs, according to Moscow-based Kaspersky
Labs in a news release.However, Christ Belthoff, a senior product manager at
Sophos, said his firm has found no evidence that it installs spyware, or a
program that eavesdrops on computer users."This is not a widespread
outbreak," he added.The worm is programmed to expire automatically on May
30, according to Symantec Corp.It began spreading on Saturday and has
apparently infected computers in 69 countries, according to MessageLabs.A
Microsoft spokesman said the company never sends out unsolicited mass
e-mails with attachments.



--