Fully Automated IM Worms on the Way?

nanycow writes "The sudden appearance of a rootkit file in a spyware-laden IM worm attack has set off new fears that malicious hackers are sophisticated enough to launch a fully automated worm attack against instant messaging networks. Researchers say the stage is set for a worm writer to use an unpatched buffer overflow in an IM app to unleash a worm that is capable of infecting millions or users without the use of malicious URLs that require a click."

Comments

That is a how a worm or virus should be!

[jurt1235]

No social engineering by seducing (l)users to click on a link. Real virus multiply themselves!
So what is the issue with this?

Re:Different from other open ports?

[ColaMan]

At least IM software is a _bit_ more heterogeneous than Windows.

In this case it doesn't really matter.
Consider a exploit that can get the buddy list out of MSN for example.
Now as most IM's only have one client used by the bulk of people, it becomes trivial to send a copy of the exploit to each person on your list and have a high proportion of them become infected, to progress outwards to friends
  geometrically (unless you have no friends)

This is a hell of a lot more sucessful than your usual pick-a-random-ip-and-hope-it's-exploitable method.