Valentine's Day "Storm Worm" Virus Coming
The nature of Valentine's Day may make the attack much less effective. New Year's and Christmas are holidays in which people often reach out to family and friends they don't speak to on a regular basis, where as Valentine's tends to be celebrated privately by couples.
The attack is also not very sophisticated and can be easily thwarted by even the least computer savvy of users. The worm presents itself in the form of an e-mail with a Valentine's Day subject and a body consisting of a simple IP address. Clicking on the IP address takes you to a page that displays a heart and the message "your download should begin shortly." If your download doesn't automatically start it instructs you to click a download link and run the file.
The attack probably won't be as successful or as widespread as past outbreaks, but some sad lovers are sure to be infected.
From Ars Technica
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Jim Sheaffer @ Jan 18th 2008 7:49AM
Any person who creates computer viruses should have a bullet put in their head. Anyone with me on this one?
Sam @ Jan 18th 2008 8:34AM
Amen, Jim. Creating/launching viruses to indiscriminately harm people's computers is terrorism and should be treated as such. Find these people and throw them away for life. They serve no useful purpose on this planet; they just destroy.
Ann @ Jan 18th 2008 12:45PM
yeah really do they even get anything out of it no its a complete waste of time
Mike @ Jan 18th 2008 1:05PM
The ancient Samurai had a better idea; use them for testing swords
Keith Warner @ Jan 18th 2008 1:06PM
It's here. I got one yesterday. No big deal if you're using Firefox, because it doesn't have a "Run" button like IE, only "Save"(to disc) or "Cancel" The Storm worms are so obvious it's ridiculous, but with other 'iffy' downloads I save to My Documents, then right-click and scan with my A/V & A/S. With IE these things can blow right by the "Run" button. Why do people still use Infernal Exploder?
Keith Warner @ Jan 18th 2008 1:17PM
> Ann says:
yeah really do they even get anything out of it no its a complete waste of time" <
At one time that was true, but now it is all about the money, creating 'botnets' to spread SPAM.
You wanna go after them, be my guest. 'They' are known as the RBN, or Russian Business Network.
Happy Valentine's Day! :)
j green @ Jan 18th 2008 2:06PM
I wonder if using Norton's Go Back program can take care of "ridding" the MBR infected file of this virus plug.
Bill McDonald @ Jan 18th 2008 4:14PM
It is way past the time when hacking into computers should become a federal offense. I think most of us view the violation of our computer the same as breaking and entering our homes. I suggest all of us that fell this way write our members of congress and ask they craft such a law.
joe blow @ Jan 18th 2008 4:33PM
hooray for viruses. doctors have jobs because of them
joe blow @ Jan 18th 2008 4:36PM
viruses senders for president
Wayne @ Jan 18th 2008 4:51PM
Jim Sheaffer: I would not go so far as to agree with you about a bullet "put" in the head but I think anyone that would deliberately create and transmit a virus is sick "in" the head and should be disciplined severly by the FCC. To me that should be delcared a Federal offense (felony) and prosecuted as such.
Dennis @ Jan 18th 2008 5:01PM
Virus , schmirus..get free AVG and you should have no worries.
artp195 @ Jan 18th 2008 5:11PM
I THINK WE SHOULD USE THEM AS CRASH TEST DUMMIES
Claude Chabana @ Jan 18th 2008 5:19PM
Jim Sheaffer says:
Any person who creates computer viruses should have a bullet put in their head. Anyone with me on this one?
01/18/08 7:49 AM
=================
Not good enough.
Have their balls tied and have 20lbs hanging from them for the whole day.
Dave Egeland @ Jan 18th 2008 5:34PM
I agree with the bullets and balls tactics, but really, I think we should form hit squads to capture these ass-holes. Then, we can string 'em up and make thousands of tiny razor slices all over them. Then cover them in salt. Then take a pair of pliers and crunch each tooth one at a time and yank 'em all out. Then cut their genitals off and stuff 'em in their mouths and sew their lips shut. Then smash each finger and toe with a sledge hammer, break their nose, elbows, knees, and shoulders. Then............ But, you gotta keep 'em alive for months to make sure the torture works and folks hear about it and are so afraid that they stop. ANYONE WITH ME ON THIS??? DON'T GET MAD--GET 1,000 TIMES PAYBACK!!!
Dlisa @ Jan 18th 2008 5:53PM
Terrorism? Come on, get real. It's annoying, it can damage business income to an extent but Terrorism??? Some old bag can't get on her internet site to play canasta? That's terrorism? lmao
Jack Rennscheidt @ Jan 18th 2008 6:33PM
Don't shoot them, fine them, or put them in prison. Give them to me. The ways of my ancestors will be sufficient.
Jack Rennscheidt @ Jan 18th 2008 6:40PM
Don't shoot them, don't fine them, don't send them to prison. Give them to me. The ways of my ancestors will be sufficient.
Theresa @ Jan 18th 2008 7:02PM
Take away the persons computer and put that person in jail. Then charge the person with creating public mayhem.
JUNGLEFACE @ Jan 18th 2008 7:20PM
cut off their hands and put hot pokers in their eyes to blind them .. then send them to iraq to wander the streets.. that is really what should be done to em.. then they can not see or touch a key board.. also cut out their tongue.. so they can not use a verbal command ..