Malware: Warning of a new Twitter invitation virus sent by e-mail

[Marketwire] Email security experts at Red Condor are warning the general public about a new Twitter invitation virus currently being detected by only a few virus scanners. The email containing the virus, which was detected May 21, 2009 by Red Condor's Zero Minute Defense Network, includes the subject line, "Your friend invited you to twitter!" and looks as if was sent from a Twitter account. The content of the email includes the following text: "Your friend invited you to Twitter. To join or to see who invited you, check the attachment." The attachment actually contains a file that appears to be a PDF, but is actually a virus executable.

"Twitter has become such a popular social media tool that it is now the subject of an escalating number of spam, virus and phishing attacks," said Dr. Tom Steding, chief executive officer of Red Condor. "Because of Twitter's dramatic user growth, people are regularly receiving email updates from new followers and direct 'Tweets.' Cybercriminals are hoping that Twitter users simply trust everything that comes with the tool's name on it. Email users need to be aware of this new trend, and we highly recommend that if they receive this invitation, they should delete it and inform their IT department of the breach. Fortunately, thanks to our Zero Minute Defense and experts in the loop, Red Condor was able to respond quickly and deploy the appropriate rules to protect our customers' networks."

Red Condor's Zero Minute Defense Network uses real-time knowledge gathered from the company's worldwide sensor network to create new detection and protection rules, which are then sent out as updates on a continuous basis. Both Red Condor's Hosted Service and MAG-series network appliances receive the automatic updates to ensure that customers' email protection is always up-to-date. The company's technology, services and products are supported by Red Condor's 24x7 Security Operations Center that constantly monitors all network activity to search for new email threats. When a new threat emerges, Red Condor's technical experts can immediately respond, ensuring continuous ongoing deployment of new filters and rules.

Red Condor Warns of New Twitter Invitation Virus