New worm turns up

The worm, known as "WORM_NUWAR.AOP", can wreak havoc with all kinds of networked and data storage systems if undetected.

This worm spreads by attaching a copy of itself to an email message, which it sends to target recipients using its own Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) engine. Having its own SMTP engine allows it to send messages without using any mailing application, such as Microsoft Outlook.

Whereas conventional email attacks rely upon their victims opening suspect files, WORM_NUWAR.AOP comes heavily disguised, camouflaged in password protected ZIP files to bypass immediate detection. To the human eye it appears to be an email message, but the main body of this text is in fact an image file.ng

The use of an image file to contain the actual message text allows it to bypass email scans and spam filters. The combined techniques employed by this particular malware make it more likely to evade conventional security measures in order to attack its targets.

Once installed, the worm starts copying itself to other computer users, while disguised still as an email from a reliable source. Individuals will be unsettled to know that the worm could send harmful software ("malware") friends and colleagues that would appear to come from them.

"It is great to see the speed with which the Middle East and Gulf Region is adopting the internet for business and personal communication alike. Yet these opportunities also demand a real alertness to the dangers, such as the WORM_NUWAR.AOP computer worm. Increased public awareness has a significant role to play in eliminating these problems,"

said Justin Doo, Managing Director Trend Micro Middle East/North Africa.