Why I don't use LookOut Express. I think that it's just a matter of time.....
jt
Monday September 24 6:48 PM ET
New 'War Vote' Virus Deletes Computer Files
By Elinor Mills Abreu
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Computer security
experts on Monday warned of a new virus that
deletes files while masquerading as a program that
will allow people to vote on whether the United
States should go to war over the Sept. 11 hijacker
attacks.
The ``Vote Virus,'' which so far is not widespread, circulates via e-mail to
users of Microsoft Corp.'s (Nasdaq:MSFT - news) Outlook e-mail program,
said Simon Perry, vice president of security solutions at Computer Associates
International Inc. (NYSE:CA - news)
The virus, punctuated by strange grammar and a mix of lower- and
upper-case letters, appears with the subject line: ''Peace between America and
Islam!'' and the body of the e-mail reads: ``Hi. Is it a war against America or
Islam!? Let's vote to live in peace!'' Perry and other experts said.
When the attachment entitled ``WTC.exe'' is opened, the virus tries to delete
all the files on the computer's hard drive and sends copies of the e-mail to
every address listed in the computer's address book, he said.
The virus also defaces any Web pages that are hosted by an infected computer
to read: ``America ... few days will show you what we can do!!! It's our turn
))) ZaCker is so sorry for you,'' according to Perry.
In addition the virus, which is a worm because of its self-propagation
capabilities, deletes the Windows directory files, tries to download a
``backdoor'' on the computer and unsuccessfully attempts to reformat the
system, said Vincent Gullotto, senior research director of Network Associates
Inc.'s (Nasdaq:NETA - news) Antivirus Response Team. A ``backdoor'' would
enable someone to get remote access to the computer without permission.
The virus also can delete antivirus software on the computer, according to
Vincent Weafer, director of Symantec Corp.'s (Nasdaq:SYMC - news)
Antivirus Research Center.
SICK SENSE OF HUMOR
The virus is believed to be the work of an opportunist and not associated with
the Sept. 11 jetliner attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon (news -
web sites) in which nearly 7,000 people feared dead.
``There is no evidence that this is related to the people who carried out'' the
attacks, Perry said.
Virus writers have discovered that they can easily dupe people into opening
emails by appealing to their prurient interests.
For example, popular viruses have purported to be photos of naked women
or love letters, like the ``I Love You'' virus that caused an estimated $8.7
billion in global damage last year.
Researchers are worried that the new, dangerous virus might spread quickly
because of its supposed relation to the debate over U.S. retaliation for the
attacks.
``We feel this is likely to get quite a high pickup in that a lot of people are
going to click on this,'' Perry said. ``If the news about this doesn't get out
before people get their e-mails, they're at risk.''
Perry said he expects there will be more socially engineered viruses related to
the topic of war and terrorism.
``What this is a sick sense of humor,'' Perry said. ``Chances are this is not any
kind of cyber-terrorism. It's just cyber terror.''
``If this was truly politically motivated there would have been more of a
message some place in the code,'' noted Gullotto.
FEW INFECTIONS SO FAR
While Symantec and Network Associates reported only a couple of customer
infections each, between five and 10 large corporate customers of Computer
Associates have been infected since the virus first appeared on Monday
morning, Perry said.
Researchers do not know where it originated from but it has not yet hit
Europe and Asia, he said.
The software companies are working to update their antivirus programs to
detect and protect computers against the new virus, researchers said.
A free security update for Outlook 2000 that was released about a year ago
automatically blocks it, according to Microsoft spokesman Jim Desler.
``We find it appalling that someone would choose this time and these
circumstances to propagate a virus,'' he said.
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