Worm Comes Disguised As Windows Warning

Dyre Straits · Sep 20, 2003, 03:55 AM

Computers running Microsoft's Windows operating system are falling prey to a new Internet worm that disguises itself as an official virus warning from Microsoft Corp.

Spread via e-mail, the "Swen" worm appears to do little damage, but experts say the unknown author's painstaking attempt to make it look like a real security bulletin from Microsoft shows a level of trickery new to Internet virus and worm attacks.

"This is a level of creativity we've not seen before," said Tony Magallanez, a San Jose, Calif.-based systems engineer for F-Secure, a Finnish anti-virus company. "This is a very authentic looking message that definitely uses some sophisticated social engineering tactics."

By Brian Krebs, washingtonpost.com Staff Writer

More Info Source: Yahoo! News

Dyre Straits · Sep 20, 2003, 03:56 AM

There were FIVE of these in my Inbox when I got home this evening.

Be sure to just Delete them.

Vengeance · Sep 20, 2003, 09:49 AM

Me too

I had 4 alerts from Norton!!! *Love my Norton system works*
In about 2 years on being online tonight was the first time I ever got anything like that in email

The_Neon_Cowboy · Sep 20, 2003, 12:34 PM

email wise if its from microsoft i just delete it anyways

FuNsTeR · Sep 20, 2003, 02:35 PM

BT Openworld stopped it at the source

DriveEuro · Sep 20, 2003, 07:24 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by The_Neon_Cowboy
email wise if its from microsoft i just delete it anyways

Agreed.

Sep 20, 2003, 03:55 AM	#1
Dyre Straits HH Old Fuddy Duddy Join Date: May 2002 Location: Georgia, USA Posts: 14,032 Rep Power: 201 System Specs	Worm Comes Disguised As Windows Warning Computers running Microsoft's Windows operating system are falling prey to a new Internet worm that disguises itself as an official virus warning from Microsoft Corp. Spread via e-mail, the "Swen" worm appears to do little damage, but experts say the unknown author's painstaking attempt to make it look like a real security bulletin from Microsoft shows a level of trickery new to Internet virus and worm attacks. "This is a level of creativity we've not seen before," said Tony Magallanez, a San Jose, Calif.-based systems engineer for F-Secure, a Finnish anti-virus company. "This is a very authentic looking message that definitely uses some sophisticated social engineering tactics." By Brian Krebs, washingtonpost.com Staff Writer More Info Source: Yahoo! News

Sep 20, 2003, 09:49 AM	#3
Vengeance DriverHeaven Senior Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: Fort Worth TX Posts: 643 Rep Power: 0	Me too I had 4 alerts from Norton!!! Love my Norton system works In about 2 years on being online tonight was the first time I ever got anything like that in email __________________ [color=red]Rage3D Super Moderator[/color] [color=red]BFG 6800 GT [/color]

Sep 20, 2003, 12:34 PM	#4
The_Neon_Cowboy HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: U.S.A. Posts: 16,009 Rep Power: 90 System Specs	email wise if its from microsoft i just delete it anyways __________________

Sep 20, 2003, 02:35 PM	#5
FuNsTeR Caledonian and Proud Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Darkest Ayrshire Posts: 1,268 Rep Power: 76 System Specs	BT Openworld stopped it at the source __________________ "They say when you play a Microsoft CD backwards you can hear satanic messages ..... but that's nothing, if you play it forward it will install Windows"