Storm feels the credit crunch

Security researchers have warned of recent spam campaigns propagated by the notorious Storm botnet that focuses on the recent economic gloom.

Emails that play on widely-held fears about the current 'credit crunch' have been spotted by security firm Trend Micro. A link in the message leads recipients to a variant of the Storm worm which infects the PC and links it to the Storm botnet.

The emails also contain a reference to the North American Currency Union (NACU), a non-existent organisation, though rumours circulating on the web recently suggest that NACU could involve some kind of secret pact involving the US, Canada and Mexico.

"Other than using these rumors to lure curious online users, the other and more effective social engineering technique used in this attack is the reference to the financial crisis, which looks like a genuine concern for all, especially now," said Jake Soriano of Trend Micro.

The Storm worm got its name after beginning mass-mailing campaigns about a period of bad weather in Europe last year and has resurfaced several times, normally at significant dates such as Christmas and New Year.

Hundreds of thousands of emails are sent to surfers all over the world inviting them to click on a link that promises further information or other goodies. However, the link generally leads to a compromised website that infects a visitor's PC with malware.

www.trendmicro.com/uk