Bin Laden Trojan Circulating Internet

PRIORITY: ELEVATED

Recently, yet another malicious computer program has been making the email rounds. While most people familiar with email and the Internet can avoid such messages, this one has an enticing subject line.

Messages with the subject line “Osama bin Laden Captured” or “Osama bin Laden Killed”, etc. have be circulating on the Internet recently. The message attempts to lure readers by reportedly offering photographs or video taken by overseas journalists of a slain Bin Laden.

Instead, clicking the link downloads and auto-executes a file which exploits a known security hole to download a Trojan horse. This allows spammers and hackers to use your computer as a “zombie” (as it is referred) to route information and thus remaining anonymous. More information and a patch is available at Snopes.com.

Remember to never download attachments or click hyperlinks in messages sent to you by unfamiliar addresses. You may end up downloading a malicious program to your computer without even knowing it.