New Worm Wishes Users a Happy Nude Year

A new worm dubbed Wurmark-D has been reported by antivirus software maker Sophos.
Distributed through a large-scale e-mail campaign, the worm has a subject line of "amusing file" and includes an attachment of a photograph that features naked men and women whose bodies spell out the words "Happy New Year."
When opened, the worm installs itself on the user's PC, immobilizing security software and then forwarding itself to e-mail addresses stored in the infected computer.
The worm most likely was created to take advantage of employees returning from a long holiday season and facing a large volume of unopened e-mail, Sophos has noted.
So far, Sophos has received only a few reports of infection, and the firm does not expect widespread problems.
Stating the Obvious
Wurmark is hardly the first incidence of worm creators and virus writers using porn as a way to woo users into opening an infected file.
Last year, a variant of the Sober worm was distributed in Germany with promises of photos of a blonde 21 year-old go-go dancer.
But the inclusion of nude photos has become enough of a tip-off for e-mail users that Wurmark should find limited distribution because of it, said Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant for Sophos.
"It's just so obvious," he told NewsFactor. "In many ways, we should thank the virus writer for creating something so blatantly infectious. Even people who barely use e-mail will know this one's suspicious."
Clear and Present Danger
In addition to the flagrantly obvious method of attracting e-mail users with nude photos, Wurmark also does its work without much subtlety.
"You can tell when it's infecting your computer," Cluley noted. "That makes it slightly unusual, because most worms now can infect without being detected."
Although the worm is not spreading far, there is a possibility that it will be passed on by people who enjoy sharing amusing photos and, especially, nude snapshots.
"I'm guessing this will be spread by young guys the most," joked Cluley.
Staying Safe
Despite the worm's limited spread and straightforward infection characteristics, Sophos recommends that users be aware of it and take appropriate steps.

"Of course, people should exercise caution," said Cluley. This includes refraining from opening suspicious e-mail attachments, and running files through virus detection software