Microsoft Messenger Virus Hits Reuters IM

steman writes "Reuters had to temporarily shut down its private instant messaging service after being targetted by the W32/Kelvir-Re trojan. Reuters Messaging is implemented with Microsoft messenger technology and has more than 60,000 users. When activated, the Kelvir trojan sends itself to all users contacts via email and IM. Francis deSouza, chief executive of computer security provider IMLogic, said 'It just generated a flood of instant messages, so it suddenly slowed down the network for legitimate traffic. This is certainly a wake-up call, IM is just like any other communication media. The media needs to go hand-in-hand with security.'"

Comments

Didn't Microsoft fix this a while back?

[kc32]

Isn't this why Microsoft forced me to upgrade MSN Messenger to a version that wouldn't even _INSTALL_ on my computer?

I had to copy a good installation file by file to get the new version.

Re:Old News

[MoogMan]

Slashdot: Olds for Nerds, stuff that mattered.

Hahaha

[Anonymous Coward]

If they didn't see that coming (using Microsoft infrastructure), they certainly deserved the downtime.

When will people like this finally wake up?

In other news...

[Spy der Mann]

people are exposed to the flu in winter. News at 11.

Re:Trillian vs MSN?

[Anonymous Coward]

If you did a pole on the streets

I think that kind of thing's illegal, dude!

Think Different!

[Chris Tucker]

This is the traditional post stating that the Mac is OS is superior because it is unaffected by Windows viri.

Also included in the traditional post is a gratuitous slam against Windows users: "Windows users are poopieheads for using Windows!"

Finishing up with a "In Soviet Russia..." joke

In Soviet Russia, you infect Reuters!

It has been my pleasure to provide the Slashdot Community with the traditional posting making fun of the Windows OS and WIndows Users, contrasting the Windows OS with the Mac OS, in a snarky, oh, so superior and ultimately uninformative manner, in a comment thread about yet another flaw/fault/sploit in the Windows OS.

Thank you for your kind attention!

P.S. if you use Linux or any of the UNIX variants, please substitute the name of your OS for Mac OS in the above posting, the better to observe the Slashdot traditions we so revere.

I tried running the virus

[Vrejakti]

After following the instruction I received in my IM Window, I downloaded the virus, and tried to run it. It wouldn't open!

I decided to look at the source code with the command "LAN358102:~ haxor$ cat myprofile\@hotmail.com | head"

Result: MZP???@?? ?!?L?!??This program must be run under Win32 $7PELv?A?

*sigh* When will virus writers start to consider people who use other platforms?

Re:this is fucking hilarious

[SunFan]

Well, given Microsoft already mastered unsecuring HTML, the next challenge, obviously, is plain text.