PC World - When it comes to viruses and worms, e-mail gets all the attention, but now that instant messaging has infiltrated both home and office, it too has become an attractive and easy target for virus writers.
From 2002 to 2003, worms and viruses that spread via IM and peer-to-peer networks increased 400%, according to Symantec Corp.'s Internet Security Threat Report. Already this year, we've seen the Jitux.A and Bizex worms targeting MSN Messenger and ICQ, respectively.
Jitux.A spread itself by tapping users' IM contacts, but Bizex had more malicious intent: It sent you a link to a Web site that scanned your PC for data on your electronic payments and finances. The site was quickly shut down once the worm was discovered, but no one is sure how much data was collected before then.
Expect the threats to continue. As users get more adept at stopping traditional attacks, virus writers will look for softer targets, says Bill Adler, president of CyberScrub LLC, a PC security software vendor. "Instant messaging, for many reasons, is a softer target."
But don't scrap your IM client just yet. Because most IM viruses and worms can't propagate automatically -- they require you to click a link or download an applet -- you can avoid many of the threats if you practice safe computing (see below).
No buddy of mine
Steve Sanders, a student at the University of California at Berkeley, learned this safety lesson the hard way. He was reading a buddy's profile on AOL Instant Messenger when he saw a message that read, "I can't believe I found (Sanders's screen name) picture here. HAHAHA," with a hyperlink to take him to a site where he could view the photos. Sanders clicked the link and agreed to download the "necessary" applet to view the photos.
"I'm usually more careful than that," Sanders said, but the site "looked legitimate, and ... it was directed right at me, so I installed the software."
The site had no photos of Sanders; instead it held the Buddypicture.net Trojan horse, which would have installed adware and spyware onto his PC and distributed itself by placing its link in his AIM profile. Luckily, his antivirus software caught it.
Another prime example is the Osama Found game, which circulated rapidly via AIM earlier this year. It spread by sending a link to AIM users, inviting them to download a game in which they could pretend to catch bin Laden. Users who clicked got the game -- as well as BuddyLinks, a program that
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