FW: Reuters.com - Internet Worm Disguised as E-Mail fromMicrosoft - Mon May 19, 2003 03:09 PM ET

[Brian Longwe <cto at nbi.ispkenya.com>]

Title: FW: Reuters.com - Internet Worm Disguised as E-Mail from Microsoft - Mon May 19, 2003 03:09 PM ET

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Date: Mon, 19 May 2003 17:34:57 -0400 (EDT)
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Subject: Reuters.com - Internet Worm Disguised as E-Mail from Microsoft - Mon May 19, 2003 03:09 PM ET

Brian Longwe (cto at nbi.ispkenya.com) has sent you this article.
Personal message:
Please prepare a mass mail to warn users about this.
 <http://www.reuters.com>
Internet Worm Disguised as E-Mail from Microsoft <http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=technologyNews&storyID=2771693&fromEmail=true>
Mon May 19, 2003 03:09 PM ET

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - A new computer worm that  disguises itself as an e-mail from Microsoft Corp. is  spreading, computer security firms warned on Monday. The e-mail containing the worm, dubbed Palyh or Mankx,  appears to come from support at microsoft.com, but is not from the  software company. When the attachment is opened, the worm copies itself to  the Windows folder, scoops up e-mail addresses from the hard  disk and starts sending itself out, said U.K-based Sophos. The malicious program can spread itself to other Windows  machines on a local area network, anti-virus vendors said. It also can secretly install spyware programs, according to  Moscow-based Kaspersky Labs in a news release. However, Christ Belthoff, a senior product manager at  Sophos, said his firm has found no evidence that it installs  spyware, or a program that eavesdrops on computer users. "This is not a widespread outbreak," he added. The worm is programmed to expire automatically on May 30,  according to Symantec Corp. It began spreading on Saturday and has apparently infected  computers in 69 countries, according to MessageLabs. A Microsoft spokesman said the company never sends out  unsolicited mass e-mails with attachments.

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