إنتباه :MSN Messenger Worm Marks Troubling Trend

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A new computer worm spreading via the MSN Messenger instant messaging (IM) service may not be particularly dangerous, but the code -- known as "Cool Worm," "Menger" or "JS Exploit-Messenger" -- could pave the way for more destructive worms that are expected to spread and attack through IM systems.



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The worm quickly infected a number of MSN Messenger users, according to antivirus experts, but it does little more than spread by sending itself to other instant messaging users on a victim's address list.

However, the worm and other recent IM vulnerabilities and exploits are causing concern among security experts that instant messaging soon may come to mean instant malicious-code spreading.

McAfee.com (Nasdaq: MCAF - news) security architect Sam Curry told NewsFactor that while this particular virus might not do that much damage, "it is proof-of-concept that this messaging vector for viruses is real."

Beating the Patch

The worm exploits a known vulnerability in MSN Messenger for which a patch was released by Microsoft earlier this week. It arrives as a message with a link to malicious code on a Web site.

It also attempts to send a link to the worm code to other contacts listed within MSN Messenger, according to an advisory from antivirus firm Symantec (Nasdaq: SYMC - news).

While the MSN Messenger vulnerability exploited by the worm was reported in December, a patch was not issued until earlier this week, concurrently with Microsoft's (Nasdaq: MSFT - news) release of a patch for six new holes in its Internet Explorer browser.

Not Just Microsoft

The lag time between vulnerability exposure and patch release drew criticism from the security community, but Curry told NewsFactor that Microsoft is not alone in its need to respond to security gaps.

"You're only as safe as you are up-to-date," Curry said. "It's a challenge for Microsoft now, but everybody -- whether you're in security or not -- has to face this time-to-patch issue and shorten the update time."

New Attack Tool

Curry said the MSN Messenger worm is another example of how threats from virus writers and hackers, which he said typically attack via "chat programs" like IM services, are becoming increasingly intermingled.

"All of the tools available to virus writers and all of the tools available to hackers are in a big tool kit, and this is one more tool that has been added to that tool kit," Curry said. "There are so many tools available, we're starting to see more multi-headed threats."

"We're going to see more like Nimda," Curry added, referring to last year's virus that spread in at least four different ways.

Looking for Lists

Curry, who said the MSN Messenger worm spread quickly, warned that many applications running on PCs -- including e-mail and IM programs -- will be prey for virus writers.

"MSN Messenger or any other messenger service are natural targets for virus writers because they have lists of names," he said. "Anywhere you aggregate content or information is liable to attack."

[المافيا]

يعني؟؟

[poll]

يعني فايروس ينتقل بالماسنجر بإسم:
Cool Worm
Menger
JS Exploit-Messenger

و....

وسلامتكم