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Virus Poses MSN Messenger 8 Beta
John Stith
Staff Writer
2005-12-27
 Insider Reports RSS Feed
It would appear the MSN's Messenger 8 Beta was leaked. But it wasn't. There is no MSN Messenger 8 Beta available yet. A new virus is floating around the web posing as bootlegged version of the new instant messenger. There are two ways to get it but users must actually download it. So don't.
The kids over at F-Secure picked up on this one. The annoying little virus they call Virkel.F goes into your MSN Messenger and downloads links to your contact list and then connects to a botnet server.
The file, BETAWEBINSTALL.EXE, is available for downloads from various sites that were "leaked" the information. The file won't give you a new IM, it downloads links to everyone in your contact list. Then it connects your machine to a botnet server. The download box contains the recipients' email address. It then ties the name on the users email to the user and proceeds to follow the process through.
In any event, don't download anything calling itself MSN Messenger 8 Beta. Remember, if it's out and it's safe, then it'll come from Microsoft's website or MSN's. Also, if it got leaked as a beta, it's probably got problems and even if it weren't a virus, it could create problems for a system unless the user were particularly adept and handling it.
About the Author:
John is a staff writer for SecurityProNews covering cyber security.
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