Virus Alert

[ahpuiahsan]

Users of MSN Messenger beware.

A new Bropia worm variant is now spreading via the instant messaging platform.

Users who are lured into opening the file called "SEXY.JPG" will find a photo of a roast chicken with a bikini tan line.

Upon entering a computer system, the worm known as WORM_BROPIA.F will drop a copy of itself into the Windows system folder, and then try to send a copy of itself under file names such as Bedroom-thongs.pif, Hot.pif, Naked_drunk.pif, New_webcam.pif, and Underware.pif, to other MSN Messenger users on the contact list of an infected system.

Said Mr Ang Ah Sin, the regional marketing manager for Trend Micro (Asia South), a network antivirus and Internet content security software and service provider: "With the popularity of instant messengers, home users are probably most at risk - this kind of worm uses humour to make people unaware that their systems are being infected via the backdoor."

The company has issued a medium risk alert on the worm which has already been reported in Taiwan, China, Korea and the US.

The worm also bears the AGOBOT worm, enabling it to expose the backdoors of infected systems to hackers.

By opening the backdoor to your system, the AGOBOT worm or Bot programmes may allow commands to be executed by a remote user. This means that information such as your Windows Product ID can be stolen from your system.

The worm affects Windows 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000 and XP platforms. You can use Trend Micro's online virus scanner, Housecall, check if your system has been affected.