The FBI has issued a warning that some Valentine e-cards prowling through the Internet contain the Storm Worm virus.

To keep your computer healthy, be on the lookout for e-cards from people and e-mail addresses you don’t recognize. Most likely it isn’t a secret admirer, but instead someone looking to steal information from you or control your computer.

On its site, the FBI writes:

With the holiday approaching, be on the lookout for spam e-mails spreading the Storm Worm malicious software (malware). The e-mail directs the recipient to click on a link to retrieve the electronic greeting card (e-card). Once the user clicks on the link, malware is downloaded to the Internet-connected device and causes it to become infected and part of the Storm Worm botnet. A botnet is a network of compromised machines under the control of a single user. Botnets are typically set up to facilitate criminal activity such as spam e-mail, identity theft, denial of service attacks, and spreading malware to other machines on the Internet.

In early 2007, the Storm Worm virus gained momentum and “[baited] people with timely information about a deadly, real-life storm front . . .” according to ZDNet.

Recipients who opened the executable attachment became a part of a botnet, which essentially puts a PC under the control of a remotely located hacker.

The executable file “creates a back door to a computer that can be exploited later to steal data or to use the computer to post spam.”

Historically Storm Worm has attacked during holidays when sending e-cards is especially popular because it creates a potentially valid excuse for attaching an exe file.

Related:

Entry was posted on Wednesday, February 13th, 2008 at 6:32 pm under Crime, Malware, Security.

Read more entries by Matt Jansen.
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