The worm writers are getting pretty sneaky in their attempts to enslave your computer as their spam bot:
Unsuspecting users who happen to launch the executable attachment carried by the Storm Worm can inadvertantly open a Pandora's Box of problems. The Storm Worm can completely take over a PC, allowing the worm writers to control the compromised machine remotely for the purpose of sending out spam, stealing data, or blasting out denial-of-service attacks.
In the latest sign that virus writers are getting craftier in their nefarious work, the nasty Storm Worm masquerades as legitimate e-mails with subject lines bearing storm alerts, such as "230 dead as storm batters Europe."
The e-mails are being sent with worm-infected attachments -- "video.exe," "fullstor.exe," or "readmore.exe," among other names -- designed to wreak all sorts of havoc on PCs.
Johannes Ullrich, chief technology officer of the SANS Institute, said that virus writers capitalizing on current media events is not necessarily unique to the Storm Worm. He pointed out that a Saddam-related virus began to spread in the wake of the former dictator's execution. That virus popped up in e-mail inboxes only two days after his death with what appeared to be video of his hanging.
However, he said, virus writers have begun responding more quickly to top news headlines, rather than using sex and celebrity as a means to ensure their viruses get activated. What is unique about the Storm Worm is how quickly it showed it up, he explained. It hit the Internet as the real storm was still raging, giving computer users very little warning before it was too late.
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Vultures! Gmail's spam filter is so good that I rarely see spam, so I don't even know what tricks they are up to.
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