A new worm attack – which pretends to take users to a harmless Santa Claus website – is underway and pestering users of AOL, MSN, Windows Messenger and Yahoo instant messaging.
Known as IM.GiftCom.All, the worm has taken infected users to a site that installs a rootkit onto PCs. The worm then took control of buddy lists, broadcasting to all available recipients.
IM Logic has classified the worm as a "medium" threat.
Art Gilliland, vice president of products for IM Logic, said the worm has a keystroke logger and can change registries, but has yet to attempt to make an external connection.
"With this one, I don't think it's going to try to," he said.
.jpg&h=140&w=231&c=1&s=0)
iTnews State of Data & AI Breakfast
Forrester's AI Forum Sydney
The 2026 iAwards
Security Exhibition & Conference
.jpg&w=120&c=1&s=0)
Integrate 2026
_(1).jpg&h=140&w=231&c=1&s=0)
