Channel Register

Polyglot worm spreads over MSN

Mind your language

Free whitepaper – The future of SaaS and IT infrastructure management

A namedropping MSN Trojan is doing the rounds through MSN Messenger.

The IRCBOT-RB Trojan poses as messages containing links to pictures on social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook. Typical come-ons involve messages such as "Wanna see my pictures before i send em to facebook?". Clicking on a link takes users to booby-trapped websites.

Unusually, the polyglot malware changes these messages according to the language of the affected operating system used. Compromised machines are infected by a simple bot agent that leaves the hardware hooked up to a central control server, awaiting instructions.

Anti-virus firm Trend Micro advises users to avoid the temptation to follow any links or pictures sent via MSN Messenger (unless you are sure of the origin) and to be suspicious of messages which refer to the use of social networking sites.

In other malware/social engineering news, Trend Micro reports that it took less than a day for VXers to re-direct users who want to find out more about Brokeback Mountain actor Heath Ledger's untimely death to sides harbouring malware. The attack is similar to early attempts to populate Google search results with links to maliciously constructed sites. ®

Free whitepaper – Impact of the dramatic increase in devices on the cost to support

Don’t Miss

Pirates ahoy!Sign up, sign up for The Register IT security newsletter

Narrowcasting for the email classes

SunFormer top Sun exec mourns end of a franchise

Watermelons, Elton John, and killing SGI

HTC Touch Diamond 2Win an HTC Touch Diamond2!

Reg Lucky Draw Last call for iPhone botherer promo

thumbs down teaser 75Disties braced for autumn reseller collapses

Is that why they call it fall?