Two New Viruses Play On Patriotism
Osama bin Laden and the American Red Cross could be battling it out on your computer.
They're both computer viruses: The worm named after the Saudi-born fugitive accused of masterminding the attacks on the United States has surfaced in South Korea, while Septer is a Trojan horse that attempts to steal your credit card information by pretending to be a request from the Red Cross for a contribution.
Septer, according to ZDNet, arrives by e-mail and appears to come from the ARC, United Way and Sept. 11 Fund.
"This is a particularly insidious type of hack in that it attempts to steal your money or at least get your credit card information by playing on your sympathies and your desire to help out organizations like the American Red Cross or the United Way," said CBS News Computer Consultant Larry Magid.
"If you follow the link in the e-mail, you get to a Web site that isn't going to let you out until you provide it with credit card information," Magid warned. "And that credit card information will not go to the charities, but go to an unknown hacker who could use the information against you.
Magid says computer users should exercise the usual caution and skepticism.
"Certainly if you get any sort of solicitation from any charity, don't follow any links," he warned. "Don't give money until you're absolutely certain that this is a charity that you want to support."
Ahnlab, Korea's top anti-virus company, advised computer users not to open emails with a subject line such as "Bin Laden toilette paper!!," "Sadam Hussein & BinLaden IN LOVE" or "Is Osama Bin Laden BAD-LOVED?"
Such emails also contain an attachment titled "BINLADEN-BRASIL.EXE."
Ahnlab said it was offering anti-virus programs that can be downloaded free of charge from its Web site (www.ahnlab.co.kr).
Neither virus appears to infect receiving computers.
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