» Topic:  Sober slowing

» Added by:  Helsinki

» Date:  25.11.2005

  THE spread of a computer virus which proliferated through email appearing to come from the FBI, the CIA or Germany's BKA agency has slowed, Finnish anti-virus group F-Secue said.

Sober slowing
Correspondents in Helsinki
NOVEMBER 24, 2005
THE spread of a computer virus which proliferated through email appearing to come from the FBI, the CIA or Germany's BKA agency has slowed, Finnish anti-virus group F-Secue said.

"Several millions of infected emails were seen by internet operators yesterday (Tuesday) but it seems to be quietening down," said Mikko Hypponen, head of research at internet security firm F-Secure.

It was still the "biggest virus attack of the year", he said.

The FBI said Tuesday that it was not the source of the email. But experts said that the virus was propagating because the authors made the message appear authentic.

The messages, which contain a strain of the Sober virus, appear to be sent from an email address such as mail@fbi.gov, post@fbi.gov, admin@fbi.gov or a similar address, and direct the recipient to open an attachment to answer questions.

The opening of the file activates the virus and causes it to spread to others.

The first Sober version was detected in October 2003 and 25 other versions have since been found.

Mr Hypponen said the motives of those spreading the virus was unknown, but it was clearly "not to make money".

The virus slows down data transfers in companies and in private computers which are often vulnerable because previous virus attacks uninstalled their protective software.

Source : australianit.new.com.au