Salon - - Crafty Virus Email

Vikki · #1 03-15-2004, 07:29 AM

There are so many viruses out now, and these people are getting really crafty. The one I received today has got me amazed. Be on guard for this type of ploy, addressed to you.

I received this email today and it came with the typical virus attachment. The sender is "staff@lifetimephoto.com". First of all, I do not have a "staff", nor is there a lifetimephoto "team".....

"Dear user of "Lifetimephoto.com" mailing system,

Some of our clients complained about the spam (negative e-mail content)
outgoing from your e-mail account. Probably, you have been infected by
a proxy-relay trojan server. In order to keep your computer safe,
follow the instructions.

For details see the attached file.

Attached file protected with the password for security reasons. Password is
25661.

Cheers,
The Lifetimephoto.com team "

Leah · #2 03-15-2004, 08:58 AM

This one's been going around for weeks. I didn't post it here because I thought I'd got my own initial "heads-up" from RP - but now I check back I see it was from another site. Oopsie!

If your email address is whatever@somedomain.com, these emails will be spoofed to appear to come from staff@somedomain.com (they are obviously working on the basis that for the majority of people somedomain.com will be their ISP's domain, so staff@somedomain.com will look like it's come from your ISP).

Typically you'll get these every few days. Eventually you'll get one that tells you your account will be suspended in three days time if you don't run the attached "security patch". Needless to say, it won't be. It does appear that once you've ignored this 3 day warning email they give up on you. At least until the next virus trend.

catia · #3 03-15-2004, 11:25 AM

I went through this with sbcglobal last week.

It really does look authentic except for the telltale zip file they want you to open. After ignoring the three day warning, they went away.

Some day perhaps the penalty for this kind of activity will be increased from a slap on the wrist to something that makes it a little less attractive as an idle pastime.

Catia

Ed_L · #4 03-15-2004, 03:27 PM

I don't open *any* e-mails that I'm not pretty sure of. And I have become a "not very trusting sole", so I question just about everything. Probably there are legitimate e-mails that don't get read, but I probably didn't need them anyhow.

Ed

Vikki · #5 03-15-2004, 06:53 PM

I'm like you Ed.
I don't open anything.