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.
