A new variant of the Bagle virus is spreading quickly around the world on computers connected to the internet, reports the Munich-based magazine PC Professionell.
The latest variant, dubbed Bagle.AI, attaches itself to e-mail on infected computers and sends itself to all e-mail addresses contained in a user’s address book.
The virus is different from many in that it is able to shut down some types of security features of computers, including some antivirus scanners.
Called Beagle.AI by some antivirus makers, the virus cannot infect one’s computer if one doesn’t open the e-mail attachment that contains the virus.
Users are tricked into thinking the e-mail is legitimate because the attachment is often named in a way that makes it seem harmless, for example ”MP3” — indicating it might be a music file.
As always, the best way to protect against contracting the virus is never to open an e-mail attachment unless one knows specifically who sent it and what the attachment contains.
Updating one’s antivirus signatures weekly or more often will also help. — Sapa-DPA