MP3 based virus
Category: Bugs / VirusPosted: July 21, 2008 11:40PM
Author: Andrewr05
The new worm transcodes malicious URLs into the ASF (Advanced Systems Format) feature of media files. ASF is Microsoft media file container that allows media files to contain embedded links to web URLs and pictures. David Emm (of Kaspersky Laboratories) said that this has been a known probable threat but it has not been done until now. The malware directs users to a webpage that displays a mock codec download which of course is stem of the virus, the virus (actually a trojan horse) looks for MP3 files on the infected computer, converts them to WMA and wraps them in an ASF container which has the malicious code in it to initiate further spread. The infected user has no idea that any of this is happening behind the scenes as the files retain the ".mp3" extension.
Safety tips:
*Don't steal music, its not worth it
*Don't download and install files from unknown/untrusted sources (i.e random popups, especially ones for codecs)
