Virus disguises itself as MSN Messenger beta

A virus masquerading as a new beta version of Microsoft's MSN Messenger has begun circulating, antivirus company F-Secure said on its blog Tuesday.

The virus, which F-Secure calls Virkel.F, comes as a file called BETA8WEBINSTALL.EXE that can be downloaded from a Web site. Running the program installs not a new MSN Messenger beta, but rather a virus that sends download links to a computer user's MSN Messenger buddies. The virus falsely labels the link as "MSN Messenger 8 Working BETA."

"It also connects your machine to a botnet server," F-Secure warned, meaning that a person's computer can be controlled remotely to attack other machines or send spam.

Malicious software that uses instant messenger programs is growing more common. A November study by Akonix Systems identified 62 examples.

And Microsoft's instant-messenger infrastructure is the most popular conduit for attack, IMlogic said in an October study.

[thenet411]

Me first!

Yet another virus that preys on the idiots of the world by promising them that they will be the first on the block to have the latest and greatest software! Do yourselves a favor, leave the betas to the pros (who wouldn't fall for such sillyness) and keep yourself outta trouble.

[Roman12]

Why beta?

Why are people always so exited about beta? It's still in the development process, so why go for something that's not ready or incomplete? If there's a choice between beta version and a stable version why would you take risks? In the Licence Agreements they even state that they're not going to guarantee anything or take much responsibility because it's beta. It's not like they really need you to help them test the new product, and even if they do... How do you benefit from it?<br /><br />__________________________________<br />R.K.<br /><a class="jive-link-external" href="http://www.Remove-All-Spyware.com/" target="_newWindow">http://www.Remove-All-Spyware.com/</a>

[nightveil]

Well...

There is the "me first" mentality, for one thing. Also using a beta <br />makes some folks feel more "high-tech". In other cases, people <br />want to be the "first" to use some new feature.<br /><br />This is a case where some scumbag(s) decided it would be "cool" to <br />use an "MSN Beta" as a trojan horse to deliver a virus, knowing that <br />people would install it because it's MSN and, for all the bad press it <br />gets, Microsoft doesn't normally release machine killing code, beta <br />or not.

[thedreaming]

Remember 95?

When everyone was using windows 3.11 for workgroups and the world got out that microsoft was allowing people to beta test windows 95 for a small fee, just about everyone I know actually paid into it. It was ridiculous, at least, that's what I thought. <br /><br />When the company I was working for got a chance to beta test 95, we jumped at the chance. I didn't understand why, but then we got a hold of it and when we tried our different products on it, some ran and some did not! I was sure the final version would fair better, but at least with the beta in hand, we got a heads up on possible problems and started preparing for them right away.<br /><br />Now, as for messenger, people are just curious. They want to see what's new and what's still the same.<br /><br />I must admit to a certain level or curiosity myself, but I rather wait till it's not only stable, but free again. I heard that invitations to beta test the new messenger were being auctioned off on ebay and as far as I know, microsoft is allowing the auctions to take place.

[TasEb]

Why not beta?

Typically, the Beta releases have some new features. People are always excited to see new features of a product they already use. I've often downloaded the Beta version of a program I use, and have never had a problem. It's not really a huge risk to do this type of thing! Besides, if the Beta version doesn't work great, you can always uninstall it and install the old version again.

[zaznet]

How many times now?

What is this the 300th time some reported beta version of some popular Internet utility has actually been spyware or a virus?

[Zoolooau]

Windows

Well I dont have problems with windows.... I have had much more problems with macs... If you stop going on all the pr0n sites it probly will run and not crash... I havent tryed linex, im sure its good, but y change is windows dosnt cause problems. Seems to me that only the people who are on the computers all the time complain about it. I may be wrong but this is my observation.<br /><br />^.^ Whatever you use its still a computer ^.^

[thenet411]

HAHAHAHAHA

Now, THAT is funny.

[208774626618253979477959487856]

way to go messenger

<a class="jive-link-external" href="http://www.analogstereo.com/apple_ipod_commercial.htm" target="_newWindow">http://www.analogstereo.com/apple_ipod_commercial.htm</a>

[Why???]

Is It really true still?

is Msn 0.8 beta still Called a virus now in 2006? is it okay to download?