Email users hit by World Cup worm

Hackers target football fans with naked World cup photos

Security experts are warning about a new email worm that is trying to infect World Cup football fan's computers by tricking them into clicking on an attachment.

The Sixem-A worm – which infects Windows PCs – is spreading using various guises, with emails carrying subject headings, including: 'Naked World Cup game set' and 'Soccer fans killed five teens'.

Other emails claim to contain reports about the German FIFA World Cup from international news organisation CNN.

But when unsuspecting computer users click on the email attachment the file tries to disable security software and distribute the Sixem-A worm to other email addresses.

'This worm exploits the public's interest in the World Cup to infect business users,' said Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant, at anti-virus software firm Sophos.

'While some recipients might find nude football an attractive prospect, this is one worm you don't want to catch sight of, as you'll be playing straight into the hands of hackers.'

This is not the first time computer hackers have tried to exploit computer users' love for football.

Last year, the Sober-N worm spread by claiming to offer tickets to the World Cup and in 2002 the Chick-F virus tricked workers into clicking on a malicious attachment by pretending to offer latest score updates on games in South Korea and Japan.

'It is very likely that more internet criminals will take advantage of users' football fever as the tournament heats up, people need to wise up to security threats, or risk scoring an own goal,' said Cluley.

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