New PayPal virus hits Net
19 November 2003
A new virus is attacking users who conduct Internet transactions through the PayPal system.
The Mimail.j worm usually arrives in an email from the address Do-Not_Reply@paypal.com, with the subject line IMPORTANT and an attachment called infoupdate.exe or www.paypa.com.pif.
Running the attachment opens a false PayPal dialog box requesting the user to update his credit card details; these are sent to a remote server if entered.
The worm, which is almost identical to the Mimail.i worm that hit PayPal customers last week, then sends itself to every email address it finds on the infected hard disk.
Users with Windows 95, 98, 2000, NT, ME and XP machines are at risk. They should delete the virus email if they see it.
A spokesman for the internet security firm MessageLabs, Mark Sunner, told Silicon.com that he virus is a new departure for virus writers:
'Once, disruption was motivation enough, but now we are seeing a new breed of cybercriminal that is intent on using viruses as a means of lining their own pockets.
'They rely on duping a crop of unsuspecting users before a new variant is released and the process begins again.'
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