Worm infiltrates Kazaa network (1 Viewer)

[Kevin P]

I wonder if the RIAA created this one... :rolleyes
A worm was discovered that masquerades as music and movie files on infected Kazaa hosts. Click here for news article
Symantec calls it the W32.Benjamin.Worm and more info can be found here. Definitions for Norton Antivirus that detect this worm can be downloaded from their web site, and will also be available via Live Update as part of their weekly update which should be tomorrow night (5/22).
Symantec rates this worm a level 1 threat (very low), as only a few infections have been reported within a limited geographical area. This could change if the worm becomes more wide spread. UPDATE: It is now listed as a Level 2 threat, due to an increase in reported infections.
The worm does no damage and is easy to remove if you do get infected with it. It only spreads via Kazaa, and uses names that make the worm appear to really be a self-extracting music or movie file.
Always use caution when downloading executable files (.exe, .com .bat, .pif, .lnk, or .vbs files in particular) from anywhere, Kazaa or otherwise...
KJP
(Edited to reflect increase in reported infections and Symantec level 2 upgrade)

 

[JasenP]

...the worm appear to really be a self-extracting music or movie file

Digital video and audio are already compressed. Why would someone download an executable file thinking it was an mp3 or avi?

Thanks for the warning!!

 

[Rob Speicher]

Digital video and audio are already compressed. Why would someone download an executable file thinking it was an mp3 or avi?

I think it's already been well-proven that people are, in general, idiots And that would be hilarious if it were the RIAA, but more than likely it's just someone that realized just how quickly their virus would spread through a network that big, especially when most people know the dangers of opening e-mail attachments, but not necessarily not to download an exe file from Kazaa.

 

[Kevin P]

Digital video and audio are already compressed. Why would someone download an executable file thinking it was an mp3 or avi?

Perhaps to combine a set of MP3s, such as an album, into a single downloadable file. I don't really see the point of it though, and if I were to do such a thing, I would make it a .zip file, not an executable. I would be leery of downloading any exe file from a shared network like that. Too many worms and viruses get their names on the map because of people who don't think before they launch.
I edited my original post, Symantec now lists this worm as a Level 2 threat, due to an increase in reported infections.
KJP

 

[JasenP]

I think it's already been well-proven that people are, in general, idiots

That should be the answer to most of my questions.