[Major Payne]

July 21, 2005
A well-known computer worm has assumed a new Internet identity, and this time is targeting music fans. Internet security firms say the Opanki worm makes the target believe they are clicking on a link to Apple's popular music site, iTunes.

"This worm arrives as the file, ITUNES.EXE. Its file name may appear familiar to users as it is similar to the name of a popular media player from Apple Computer," warns a posting on Trend Micro's Web site.

"Thus, users may be tricked into thinking that this worm is associated with a legitimate product," the Web security firm warns.

From the beginning the worm has spread via AOL's Instant Messenger, and Trend Micro says the delivery system is still the same. It bears the heading "this picture never gets old," and instructs recipients to click on a link entitled ITUNES.EXE. Clicking on the link downloads the virus.

Once in the target's computer, the worm modifies the Windows operating system to make sure it runs whenever the computer is rebooted. When it runs, it downloads a set of four adware programs.

The virus targets computers running the Windows operating system, going back as far as Windows 95.

Consumer Affairs

Ron

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We've been seeing these come through malware forum for a while now

[Major Payne]

I'm sure you have, but a search didn't turn up anything by name in GTG forum. Plus, since I am not allowed to reply to topics in the Malware Section, I do not even scan them for problems so have no way of knowing whether the subject was covered or not.

Ron