Storm Worm

Be on the look out for emails that are have the subject line "230 dead as storm batters Europe." 

Storm Worm hits computers around the world

Fri Jan 19, 2007 7:08am ET

HELSINKI (Reuters) – Computer virus writers started to use raging European storms on Friday to attack thousands of computers in an unusual real-time assault, head of research at Finnish data security firm F-Secure (FSC1V.HE: Quote, Profile , Research) told Reuters.

The virus, which the company named "Storm Worm" is sent to hundreds of thousands of email addresses globally, with the e-mail’s subject line saying "230 dead as storm batters Europe."

The attached file contains the so-called malware that can infiltrate computer systems.

"What makes this exceptional is the timely nature of the attack," Mikko Hypponen, head of research at F-Secure said.

Hypponen said thousands of computers around the world, most in private use, had been affected.

He said most users would not notice the malware, or trojan, which creates a back door to the computer that can be exploited later to steal data or to use the computer to post spam. 

Al-Reuters