Security experts found a new spread of computer viruses in messages in the Yahoo Messenger and Skype.

Messages contain links that mimic picture files. It comes with question: Does my new hair style look good? bad? perfect?” or “My printer is about to be thrown through a window if this pic won’t come out right. When you click on the picture a dialog box opens offering to download .zip file. When you unzip the file there will be executable .com file, so if you start that file, malicious software will be installed.

The worm is called W32.Skyhoo. For the Yahoo version, the worm will install backdoors on Windows systems via Yahoo Instant Messenger, and Skype version is more sophisticated. It automatically sends messages with varying content and malicious links to contacts in the victim’s IM list and automatically injects a malicious link in e-mail messages and Word or Excel files that the user is composing, The worm also connects to an IRC server to receive remote commands, blocks antivirus software, uses a rootkit technique to hide its files and processes and automatically copies itself onto USB drives to spread. But don’t worry, if you don’t have Skype or Yahoo messenger on your computer, the virus will be disappear.

Tags | virus, Windows