Posted on 07/19/2005 9:45:17 AM PDT by dvan
To All members: This is a true virus warning and not a hoax.
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Warning
Emails with pictures of Osama Bin-Laden hanged are being sent and the moment that you open these emails your computer will crash and you will not be able to fix it!!!
This e-mail is being distributed through countries around the globe, but mainly in the US and Israel.
Don't be inconsiderate; send this warning to whomever you know.
Confirmed at: http://www.snopes.com/computer/virus/osama.asp
Origins: There are few headlines that would grab the attention of more computer users around the world than "Osama bin Laden Captured," and that's exactly what whoever created this lure was counting on to snare unsuspecting victims who use Microsoft platforms.
"Osama bin Laden Captured" isn't a virus in itself; it's the text of a message that includes a link to a file called EXPLOIT.EXE. When a message recipient clicks on this link to view what he thinks are pictures of Osama bin Laden's capture, he can end up downloading an executable Trojan known as Backdoor-AZU, BKDR_LARSLP.A, Download.Trojan, TrojanProxy.Win32.Small.b,or Win32.Slarp.< BR> Clicking the embedded link in the "Osama bin Laden Captured" message auto-executes a file called "EXPLOIT.EXE," which exploits a known security hole to download the Trojan. According to McAfee Security:
The Trojan opens a random port on the victim's machine. It sends the Port information to a webpage at IP address 66.139.77.145. The Trojan listens on the open port for instructions and redirects traffic to other IP addresses. Spammers and hackers can take advantage of compromised systems by using the infected computer as a middleman, allowing them to pass information through it and remain anonymous.
Microsoft has made available updates that close the hole exploited by this Trojan.
I never open that stuff. This first thing I do is check FR or one of the media sites.
People send viruses by email?
I don't think a virus can get on your computer simply by opening an email. Isn't it the attachment that has to be opened?
Thank you for the heads up on that.
This is a genuine virus, but it's nearly a full year old. If you're not patched against it yet, you deserve to have your computer nuked.
Did you read THIS???
Thanks for the heads up. You and I met in person by the way at the White House (the restaurant in Anaheim) about five years ago. How've you been?
As long as people are stupid enough to run .exe files sent to them from God knows where, yes...lol
ping
Let the UN handle it
If they sneeze on their mouse before clicking "Send."
Thanks to Microsoft's shoddy coding in Outlook and Outlook Express, you can indeed get nailed without opening the attachment. Seems that Microsoft thought the "preview" feature was more important than security, so it allowed the system to open the attachment without the user doing anything. And just by receiving your e-mail, *bang*! You were nailed.
How d'ya like that?
You must own stock in virus scan software. :)
It states the email, not the .exe file instantly crashes your computer, which of course is nonsense.
I should be so lucky.
"Clicking the embedded link in the "Osama bin Laden Captured" message ..."
Clicking the link without actually looking at where it will take you is what runs the virus file.
You can open the e-mail as long as you don't click the link you are fine - clicking without looking first is like walking accross the street without looking.
Go buy the best virus protection on the market, get a Mac!
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