Australian PM ''heart attack" email virus

Filed in archive risk by leon on February 21, 2007

Earlier this year, I did a blog entry on how gangs spreading malicious Trojan horse software were getting smarter. In the first big attack of 2007, they tried using tabloid headlines to trick users into executing files containing malicious code.

Now they have struck again, sending a fake breaking news report claiming that Australian Prime Minister John Howard has had a heart attack, according a report in The Age.

Clicking on the story link takes users to a page that downloads a trojan to the computer, allowing the installation of malware which will give access to user names, passwords and banking details. It's not clear from the story how many computers have been affected.

Related Entries:

Early statin use and heart attack - 29 August 2005
Early signs of a heart attack - 23 November 2005
$11.5 million pay - for five months work - 15 December 2005
Women and Heart Attacks - 21 February 2007
Cardiac Muscles Derived from Embryonic Stem Cells May Treat ... - 26 August 2007
MySpace Malware Attack - 28 January 2008
Golfer Stricken by Heart Attack - 21 March 2008
New Molecule May Lead to Anti-Heart Attack Drug - 21 April 2008

« The link between fraud an... | Main | DaimlerChrysler: another ... »

Permalink: Australian PM ''heart attack" email virus

Tags: spam malware John Howard heart attack business heart heart+attack email+virus attack+email

Trackback: http://publish.creative-weblogging.com/publish/mt-tb.pl/54387

Addthis

Ask

Blinklist

del.icio.us

Digg

Fark

Facebook

Google

Lycos

Ma.gnolia

Mr Wong

Netscape

Netvousz

Newsvine

StumbleUpon

Slashdot

Tailrank

Technorati

Wink

Yahoo

Vote for Australian PM ''heart attack" email virus:

Currently 9.75/10
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

Rating: 9.75 out of 4 vote(s) cast.

Response from: Mila (02/22/07 4:00am)

Email attacks seem to only be getting more and more malicious. I get messages in my inbox daily from "Paypal" claiming that my account is being deactivated, or something of that sort.
Are people still downloading attachments and clicking links in messages from unfamiliar recipients? It's time that we start being more educated and RESPONSIBLE about email and computer security.

Response from: S.M.Mehdi Hassan (02/24/07 6:21pm)

Yes,
this is a serious problem. I also get lots of emails saying I have won a date or lottery. I do not know why still people click on these mails. These are just bullshit!!!

Response from: BizzBites.com

Trojan gangs strike again., spreading malware by sending a fake breaking news report claiming that Australian Prime Minister John Howard has had a heart attack.

Response from:

Trojan gangs strike again., spreading malware by sending a fake breaking news report claiming that Australian Prime Minister John Howard has had a heart attack.

Response from: news.fatpitchfinancials.com

Trojan gangs strike again., spreading malware by sending a fake breaking news report claiming that Australian Prime Minister John Howard has had a heart attack.