Re: Email Harvesting virus?

["Mary Landesman" <mlande () bellsouth net>]

There is a bug that was introduced by Outlook Express Update 330994.
Basically, everytime a change is made to the address book, OE makes a backup
into a ~ file. Obviously I can't say for sure that is what you are
experiencing, but it certainly sounds like it.

There's a thread on it here:
http://forums.about.com/ab-antivirus/messages?lgnF=y&msg=1360.1

Regards,
Mary Landesman
Antivirus About.com Guide
http://antivirus.about.com

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Joel R. Helgeson" <joel () helgeson com>
To: <full-disclosure () lists netsys com>
Sent: Monday, October 06, 2003 10:44 PM
Subject: [Full-disclosure] Email Harvesting virus?


I came across an intersting event today. I haven't been able to research it
as much as I'd like, but I'd like to toss it out to the community just the
same.

A customers machine appears to be infected with some type of malware that
apparently harvests email addresses and puts them into a file named '~'.
Just the tilde ~, no extention.  This file is created under the C:\Documents
and Settings\%username%\~.  I have attached a zipped copy of the file for
refrence.

I came across the file earlier today, renamed it and copied it off to a
keychain USB drive for later analysis. Well, the file re-created itself and
the malware creating it is not immediately apparent.  I've scanned all the
running apps but I haven't had much time to investigate.

Any ideas?


Joel R. Helgeson
Director of Networking & Security Services
SymetriQ Corporation

"Give a man fire, and he'll be warm for a day; set a man on fire, and he'll
be warm for the rest of his life."

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