June 13, 2006

  • Lots of people (including me) use Yahoo's email service, so in the off-chance you've not heard of this, here 'tis:


    Yahoo, world's most popular e-mail, hit by worm


    LAS VEGAS (Reuters) - Yahoo Inc. (Nasdaq:    YHOO - news), the world's largest
    provider of e-mail services, said on Monday that a software
    virus aimed at Yahoo Mail users had infected "a very small
    fraction" of its base of more than 200 million accounts.



    The e-mail virus, or worm, has been dubbed Yamanner and
    landed in Yahoo mailboxes bearing the headline "New Graphic
    Site.    " Once opened, the message infects the computer and
    spreads to other users listed in Yahoo users' e-mail address
    books, security experts said.



    The e-mail containing the virus need only be opened -- in
    contrast to most worms that are hidden in attachments and
    require users to take an additional step -- to release the
    virus, according to computer security site Symantec Corp.



    The Sunnyvale, California-based company advised users to
    update virus and firewall software on their computers and to
    block any e-mail sent from the address "av3@yahoo.com."  (bolding mine)

    =============================

    With any luck if it arrives at all it's being dumped in the Bulk Mail
    folder, which I expect most of us delete without checking, but
    apparently it's at least occasionally getting through.  Don't open
    it!