warning
 

COMPUTER users are being targeted by hackers urging people to view a photograph of a dead Osama bin Laden.

Thousands of rogue messages have been posted on internet chat-rooms in the past few days suggesting journalists have discovered the al-Qaeda leader hanged.

The messages tell users to visit a website to view the photographs of bin Laden which they claim have been withheld by US authorities while they confirm the identity of the body.

Attempts to download the bogus picture fail, but, unknown to users, their computer may have been infected with a piece of malicious software in the process.

The software, known as a Trojan Horse because it uses a back-door method of infection, is programmed to steal sensitive information like bank details from the computer or exploits the terminal to spread spam e-mails.

Experts are warning anyone with a computer to ensure they have up-to-date anti-virus software to prevent themselves becoming a victim of the Trojan, dubbed Hackarmy.

Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant at anti-virus software firm Sophos, said: "Hackers and virus writers will try all kinds of tricks to entice people into downloading their malicious code.

"It seems this time that the hacker has focused on the public’s morbid curiosity and appetite for news on the war against terror."

He added: "We don’t known the impact it has had but we know it is designed to allow hackers to gain access to computers and once inside they can steal information or whatever - the world is their oyster."

ASDF, thanks alot for the headsup. As cool as it would be to see a fake picture of dead osama bin laden, I will have to pass now. Thanks again.

Damn, that is funny. I mean, I seek out exactly 0% of the war on terror stuff, so the chance of me getting caught by this are slim. However, I can see someone going to the link thinking "Dayum, we finally caught th' bastard" and bam! instant trojan.

Poor saps.

I sense a hoax; it sounds like you copied this from an e-mail you receieved. No offense if you didn't, but the style of writing is similar to most hoax e-mails that I've read.

Just don't use IE. Problem solved.

oh...thanx for the warning. :)

Firefox is your friend

because the first word is caps, I'm gonna say this was an actual article.

The link in question is to a .zip file--not a web page.

Any good anti-virus worth it's salt will detect it. (Any any good computer user worth their salt should see the link and NOT try to go to/download it.)
BB

Wasn't this also posted in general discussion?

Stupid people are more likely to get viruses than smart people. Therefore, stupid people as a group are more likely to get affected by this, thus eliminating themselves from the Internet user pool (at least for a while) and enacting a form of Darwinism.

Thanks for the heads-up!

I've seen the come-on in some newsgroups I frequent. They are also using a "Arnold Schwarzenegger Suicide" tagline as well.

posted below is what appears on snopes today:

Virus name: Osama
bin Laden Captured

Status: Real.

Example: [Collected on the Internet, 2004]


Subject: Osama bin Laden Captured

Hey, Just got this from CNN, Osama Bin Laden has been captured! A video and some pictures have been released. Go to the link below for pictures, I will update the page with the video as soon as I can.


Origins: There are few headlines that would grab the attention of more computer users around the world than "Osama bin Laden Captured," and that's exactly what whoever created this lure was counting on to snare unsuspecting victims who use Microsoft platforms.

"Osama bin Laden Captured" isn't a virus in itself; it's the text of a message that includes a link to a file called EXPLOIT.EXE. When a message recipient clicks on this link to view what he thinks are pictures of Osama bin Laden's capture, he can end up downloading an executable trojan known as Backdoor-AZU, BKDR_LARSLP.A, Download.Trojan, TrojanProxy.Win32.Small.b, or Win32.Slarp.

Clicking the embedded link in the "Osama bin Laden Captured" message auto-executes a file called "EXPLOIT.EXE," which exploits a known security hole to download the trojan. According to McAfee Security:

The trojan opens a random port on the victim's machine. It sends the port information to a webpage at IP address 66.139.77.145. The trojan listens on the open port for instructions and redirects traffic to other IP addresses. Spammers and hackers can take advantage of compromised systems by using the infected computer as a middleman, allowing them to pass information through it and remain anonymous.
Microsoft has made available updates that close the hole exploited by this trojan.

Additional information: Backdoor-AZU
(McAfee Security)
Last updated: 27 April 2004

sounds real to me

I go with Snopes...

-Mikey