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Skype worm

The Skype worm is a strain of the Dorkbot family of malware that made headlines in October 2012.  The Skype worm sends a message like “LOL, is this your new profile pic?” from an infected Skype user’s contact list, attempting to entice fellow Skype users into clicking on the link and downloading and installing the Skype worm.

As with other forms of Dorkbot, the Skype worm opens a backdoor on infected computers, allowing for remote access. The Skype worm also installs a form of ransomware, wherein the malware threatens to lock a user out of being able to use their computer and demands a payment of several hundreds of dollars within a limited time frame or have their files deleted.

Computers infected with the Skye worm may also receive a ransomware message claiming that the computer has been used for illegal activity and that the user will be reported to federal authorities unless a payment is made within a limited timeframe.



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