The FBI is not looking for you
The Sober-K virus is sent out with intent to tricking you that it is from the FBI.
Tuesday, March 01, 2005
BY : Brian Ashe
A virus is spreading through the e-mail channel purporting to come from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). It caries with it the latest incarnation of the Sober virus, Sober-K. It claims that the recipient has been caught visiting an "illegal website" and is now "being traced". It then informs them that they should fill in the attached form for processing by the FBI.
To add authenticity the virus sometimes uses an "@fbi.gov" sender's address. A couple of errors could give the message's true nature away, but the likely response from the viewer of a message from the FBI would be of concern that there is something serious going on and these details could be lost on all but the most cynical.
The spread of the virus has prompted the FBI to issue a warning that says, in part, "These e-mails did not come from the FBI. Recipients of this or similar solicitations should know that the FBI does not engage in the practice of sending unsolicited e-mails to the public in this manner."
This is not the first time that virus writers have used the FBI as the source of an e-mail with a malicious payload. About a year ago in January a message that claimed the recipient was caught trading in copyrighted materials was sent out to unsuspecting surfers. The message then claimed to have tracked the activity to this computer and that it was proceeding with criminal charges with an evidence document attached which actually contained the malware.
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