Digital Common Sense

December 28, Internetnews.com — Virus tempers MSN Messenger buzz. Finnish security firm F−Secure is reporting a new scam that is masquerading as the MSN Messenger 8 Beta (to be released in several months), which will be called Windows Live Messenger. Rather than a beta of Microsoft’s latest instant messaging (IM) client, users will download a virus file, BETA8WEBINSTALL.EXE. Once installed, the virus’ payload connects the users IM client to a botnet and sends download links to the virus file to everyone on the users contact list. A Microsoft spokesperson told internetnews.com that this threat does not exploit a security vulnerability, but relies on significant user action to spread to all the contacts in a user’s MSN Messenger contact list. With the declining cost of domain registrations, “throw−away” domains have become a popular breeding ground for transmitting viruses by hackers. MSN Messenger’s successor, Windows Live Messenger, is part of Microsoft’s rebranded “Live” initiative. According to the IM Logic Threat Center, MSN Messenger has borne the brunt of IM attacks with 43.1 percent of all attacks. In the last 90 days, the target has shifted to AOL’s Instant
Messenger (AIM) which now bears 44.8 percent of attacks in comparison to MSN Messenger at 26.1 percent in the same period.
Source: http://www.internetnews.com/ent−news/article.php/3573971

Filed by Ken at 12:19 pm under General