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June 18, 2009 1:30 PM PDT

That e-mail attachment is not a Twitter invite

by Elinor Mills
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Twitter invites have a URL in the e-mail and not an attachment like this worm attack does, Symantec says.

(Credit: Symantec)

Symantec is warning about a mass-mailing worm that comes in an attachment pretending to be a Twitter invite.

"The observed messages appear as if they have been sent from a Twitter account; however, unlike a legitimate Twitter message, there is no invitation URL present in the body," a Symantec blog post says. "Instead, the user will see an attachment that appears as a .zip file that purportedly contains an invitation card."

The name of the attachment is "Invitation Card.zip" and Symantec identified it as W32.Ackantta.B@mm, a worm targeting Windows computers that was discovered in an e-card virus attack in February, according to Symantec. The worm gathers e-mail addresses from compromised PCs and spreads by copying itself to removable drives and shared folders.

Elinor Mills covers Internet security and privacy. She joined CNET News in 2005 after working as a foreign correspondent for Reuters in Portugal and writing for The Industry Standard, the IDG News Service, and the Associated Press. E-mail Elinor.
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by bobmarleypeople June 18, 2009 1:58 PM PDT
durrrrrrrrrr this attachment looks legit! **click** GAAAAAAA!!!!!

</stupid>
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by sythara June 18, 2009 2:34 PM PDT
Lol, exactly.

The biggest vulnerability in Windows is a ******* user.

PEBKAC as we used to call it.
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by JonathonStriker June 18, 2009 4:11 PM PDT
oh, and all this time I thought it was some stupid stalker really trying to get me to join ANOTHER site, like I don't have enough. I'm on facebook, don't currently have need for twitter, and sure wouldn't except a non-friend invite.
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by ElizabethMoressi June 19, 2009 8:55 AM PDT
Wow Twitter is in more twouble. This site clearly needs a PR firm to get everyone feelin "warm and fuzzy" about them. Well at least they keep us in the loop about the constant phishing scams plaguing them.

Extended Validation SSL across all SocNet sites would be a huge push in slowing down the phishing. I am sure there is a performance issue, but really most users given the chance to opt in would probably be willing to compromise a bit of speed for some security.
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by setjeff15081947 June 19, 2009 10:55 AM PDT
Anybody remember the opening sequence to the movie "Live Free or Die Hard"? Boom! The hacker kid gets blown out of his shoes. Are we closer than we care to think to that? Do I dare open another E-mail? I've kind of gotten used to having my intestines inside of me.
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by Harrison912 June 22, 2009 12:02 PM PDT
Since I have a web site dedicated to safety and security products, I'm always interested in helping keep things a bit safer. Thanks, Elinor, for the heads-up.
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