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Skype Users Warned of New Windows Worm

By BetaNews Staff, BetaNews

September 10, 2007, 11:43 AM

Skype users should be wary of a new worm that is making its way through the network via the application's chat feature, the company said Monday. The worm spreads when users click on a link sent via IM either from an unknown user, or a contact who has been infected. The link appears to be a .JPG image, however when clicked, it asks the user to run or save a .scr file. When run, the program then accesses the Skype application in order to infect others.

F-Secure and Kaspersky Labs have issued updated definition files to detect the worm, Skype said. "We would like to encourage our users to ensure that they are running anti-virus software on their computers and to download the latest anti-virus updates in order to provide the best protection against this and other viruses," Villu Arak wrote in the Skype blog on Monday. Additional instructions on handling the worm can be found in the post.

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By imafurby

posted Sep 10, 2007 - 4:15 PM

I like Sykpe but I hate that stinkin' chat feature. Another stupid upgrade that nobody asked for.

Score: 0

By PC_Tool

posted Sep 10, 2007 - 2:11 PM

Uninstall Skype.

Problem solved.

Day's looking brighter already...

Score: 0

By ZenWarrior

posted Sep 10, 2007 - 5:03 PM

Use common sense. Problem solved.

Score: 0

By PC_Tool

posted Sep 10, 2007 - 5:31 PM

Shhh...

We don't want people to think they can solve their own problems. What would the liberals do then?

Score: 0

By PC_Tool

posted Sep 11, 2007 - 3:48 PM

So is it Zaine, or Pitdingo?

I guess the world will never know...or care.

Score: 0

By mjm01010101

posted Sep 10, 2007 - 1:21 PM

Skype IMO is one of the most dangerous applications to run on a end-user's machine. I don't allow it on my network, and never will.

http://www.networkworld....s/2005/092605tolly.html

Score: 0

By GoodThings2Life

edited Sep 10, 2007 - 12:24 PM

If it's a worm, that means that it spreads entirely without user interaction.

But you have to click a link to get infected.

So then it's not a worm at all, it's a virus.

Moreover...

Even if it is a worm, then it is a Skype worm, not a Windows worm, because it spreads through Skype, not a security hole in Windows (EDIT: unless of course you consider Skype to be a security hole in Windows...), even though Windows machines are infected.

The bottom line, it's either a Skype worm, or a Windows Virus.

Score: 0

By Paul Skinner

posted Sep 10, 2007 - 12:51 PM

^This^ Minus the last line.

It's a Skype Virus.

Score: 0

By Frostek

posted Sep 10, 2007 - 12:49 PM

It's a Windows virus that uses Skype to spread. How about that?

There's Mac and Linux versions of Skype too - if it doesn't affect them, then it's not much of a Skype worm...

Score: 0

By Paul Skinner

edited Sep 10, 2007 - 12:54 PM

Ah, but it's only affecting Skype files and only being sent through Skype, therefore it's a Skype virus that is Windows dependant...?

So it's not strictly Windows' problem more of the coders only selecting to spread it on Windows?

Hmm... we have a slightly grey area here.

...or am I thinking about this unnecessarily hard?

Score: 0

By kbsoftware

posted Sep 10, 2007 - 1:49 PM

It's a tough on to call without more information, or being able to analyze the worm itself.

It could just be that the worm (virus really) was written for windows and exploits a hole in Skype to hide. But It's also possible that they chose windows because the same worm would not be effective with Mac or Linux because their security would make it useless (Maybe at best here).

There's just so many unknown variables with this story that one just can't really be 100% sure on that.

Score: 0

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