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Submitted by: Bill Hickey
NCVA Listmaster

NRT-0617 'UK Chernobyl' spam spreads malicious Trojan:

A widespread spam e‑mail campaign is circulating claiming that a nuclear power plant on the outskirts of London exploded on 9 September 2008, according to an online information technology journal. No such plant exists anywhere near London. The nearest one is probably Dungeness B in south east Kent, which is some 77 miles from London.

The e‑mail claims to offer pictures of victims; however, the attached zip file contains a Trojan. Once installed the malware can be used to spy on the victim's computer and steal information for potential financial gain.

E‑mails typically arrive with subject lines such as "Reply: A report on radiation contamination of Canada," suggesting that a Chernobyl‑style nuclear calamity has befallen the United Kingdom, and local authorities have succeeded in hushing it up.

"Rather than use a real‑life event, the hackers have turned to fictional explosions and conspiracy theories hope they will strike a nerve with potential victims who will then click on the attachment without a second thought," commented Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant at Sophos.

[www.theregister.co.uk 11Sep08]

Last Modified: Friday, 10-Oct-2008 12:21:36 EDT