Virus Disguises Itself As Msn Messenger Beta (Faith, Hope, and Love)

Title: Virus Disguises Itself As Msn Messenger Beta

GutterRat - December 28, 2005 01:21 PM (GMT)

QUOTE

A virus masquerading as a new beta version of Microsoft's MSN Messenger has begun circulating, antivirus company F-Secure said on its blog Tuesday.

The virus, which F-Secure calls Virkel.F, comes as a file called BETA8WEBINSTALL.EXE that can be downloaded from a Web site. Running the program installs not a new MSN Messenger beta, but rather a virus that sends download links to a computer user's MSN Messenger buddies. The virus falsely labels the link as "MSN Messenger 8 Working BETA."

LynnMcG - December 28, 2005 01:23 PM (GMT)

OK, help me with this one GR...

How will this virus come to me, in an email? Messenger never sends updates through email, so is that how I avoid this?

GutterRat - December 28, 2005 01:36 PM (GMT)

Well, it looks like there are a couple of ways to get it.

1) Going to a website that says it's a MSN upgrade.

2) Getting a IM from a "buddy" that says to "click here" to upgrade your MSN.

The file name would be BETA8WEBINSTALL.EXE - so don't run a file named this would be #1. Also, don't upgrade your MSN since there isn't a new upgrade out right now. I think the latest one is 7.5 or 7.0.

LynnMcG - December 28, 2005 01:43 PM (GMT)

OK, thank you. I followed your link, but maybe I didn't see the whole article. I didn't see where it gave that info.

I think the only way I get updates is when the messenger window tells me there's an upgrade, right? It pops open and asks me if I want to upgrade.

GutterRat - December 28, 2005 01:46 PM (GMT)

I usually just go to Microsofts website if/when I do an update. I think you are safe.

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