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Santa IM Worm Hits AOL, MSN and Yahoo

Posted by samzenpus on from the bad-santa dept.

elmtree95 writes "CNET News reports A Santa Claus worm is attempting to trick America Online, Microsoft MSN and Yahoo instant-messaging users into clicking on a file that delivers unwanted software to a victim's computer. The IM.GiftCom.All worm attempts to dupe IM users into thinking an acquaintance has sent them a link to a harmless Santa Claus file. IM security vendor ELMTree Software has released a patch to their ChatPatrol (www.chatpatrol.com) product to address this issue."

4 of 149 comments (clear)

  1. No by alfrin · · Score: 0, Redundant

    lol, this is not a virus

  2. Nice plug. by chundo · · Score: 0, Redundant
    elmtree95 writes...

    <snip>

    IM security vendor ELMTree Software has released a patch to their ChatPatrol (www.chatpatrol.com) product to address this issue.

    Nice. Nothing like free PR!
  3. Okay, so I'm a Scrooge by davmoo · · Score: 0, Redundant

    With all the publicity that this sort of infection has gotten over the last two years, anyone stupid enough to click on the link deserves what they get. Merry farfing Christmas.

    --
    I want a new quote. One that won't spill. One that don't cost too much. Or come in a pill.
  4. Re:Bad information by Psykosys · · Score: 1, Redundant

    Because most people use Windows and it's therefore targeted to that platform. Seriously though, why does every new IM worm end up on /.? There's nothing remotely new about this, people have used far more clever names to package worms than "Santa" in the past, and the worm itself possesses absolutely no new features of interest.