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Saddam execution "footage" hides deadly virus payload

Anti-virus firm warns of malware pretending to be video of former Iraqi dictator execution.

By Rene Millman, 9 Jan 2007 at 17:06

Virus writers are exploiting the hanging of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein to distribute malware.

Researchers at anti-virus company F-Secure said that malware writers are trying to exploit the publicity around the hanging of Saddam Hussein to their own advantage.

"So far we've seen three different examples of malware using Saddam-related themes," said F-Secure's chief research officer Mikko Hypponen on the company's blog. "These are now detected as W32/Banload.BSW, W32/Banload.BSX and Trojan-downloader.Win32.Delf.acc."

He said that two of these types of malware try to disguise their actions by opening up a YouTube page with the Portuguese search keyword "enforcado" (execution).

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