Own Goal Alert On Hi-Tech Virus
The following article was published in Birmingham Mail, June 2006. The text has been edited for use on this website.
Small to medium-sized firms throughout the Midlands have received a World Cup warning over a computer virus which could wreak hi-tech havoc.
New World Cup Threat
A new virus masquerading as an e-mail and promising World Cup football information is threatening SMEs, says leading Birmingham service and support provider Icomm Technologies.
Ian Callens, Icomm Sales Manager
“Hackers are circulating e-mails that appear to offer football scores or team news. Unsuspecting fans are clicking on the link, and run the risk of being infected with malware.
The city firm says hackers are taking advantage of widespread interest in this year’s tournament by exploiting fans’ desire to keep up to speed with events in Germany.
Icomm’s Ian Callens said: “Hackers are circulating e-mails that appear to offer football scores or team news. Unsuspecting fans are clicking on the link, and run the risk of being infected with malware.
“The World Cup virus currently doing the rounds is known as a ‘trojan horse’. Users are tricked into opening them because they appear to be receiving legitimate software of files from a legitimate source.
“This type of virus can cause serious damage by deleting files and destroying information on your system."
He said the e-mails carried introductory one-liners such as ‘Rooney fitness update’, ‘Scoreflash from Germany’ and ‘England team news’.
What you should do
Mr Callens added: “A large percentage of SMEs use out of date or inadequate antivirus software, so it’s these firms who need to be extra vigilant.”
He urged companies to quell the threat by checking firewalls and to use extreme caution when opening mail from unknown senders.
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