TELECOM Digest OnLine - Sorted: Virus Poses as Michael Jackson Suicide Rumor

Virus Poses as Michael Jackson Suicide Rumor

Lisa Minter (lisa_minter2001@yahoo.com)
Fri, 10 Jun 2005 19:29:47 -0500

Hackers use Jackson suicide rumor to spread virus

Emails claiming pop star Michael Jackson, on trial on sex abuse
charges, has tried to kill himself are being spread by hackers as a
means to break into computers, a British anti-virus firm said on
Friday.

The hackers have sent emails with the subject "Re: Suicidal attempt"
and the message text: "Last night, while in his Neverland Ranch,
Michael Jackson has made a suicidal attempt," said security software
specialists at Sophos. Other versions claim the suicide was successful
and all versions offer lurid photos of the event.

Jackson is awaiting a California court verdict on charges of child
molestation.

The email asks recipients to click on a link that takes them to a Web
Site which secretly installs malicious code on their computers.

"If you click on the link, the Web Site displays a message saying it
is too busy, which may not surprise people who think it might contain
genuine breaking news or lurid pictures about Michael Jackson's
"suicide," said Carole Theriault, security consultant at Sophos. There
are no such pictures, there was no such incident.

Copyright 2005 Reuters Limited.

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