There is another Virus making its way around. This one is called the “Friend Greeting” virus. Since the user is required to
actually download and install a program plus accept a License Agreement McAfee does not define it as a virus.
Details:
Users may receive a message with a subject line of X you have an E-Card from Y. (X= your name and Y=sender’s name.)
The message body includes a link to www.friendgreetings.com. If the user decides to follow the link and load the page they are
prompted to download and run an installer package. During installation, the user will be prompted to accept two License
Agreements. The wording of the second agreement actually tells the user what the program will do once it is installed.
It reads:
Once this agreement has been accepted, the program emails all users in your Outlook Address book with the following
message:
Subject: %Recipient% you have an E-Card from %Sender%.
Body: Greetings!
%sender% has sent you an E-Card — a virtual postcard from FriendGreetings.com.
You can pickup your E-Card at the FriendGreetings.com by clicking on the link below.
http://www.friendgreetings.com/pickup/pickup.aspx?code=%recipient%&id=%code%
Message:
————————————————————————
%Recipient%,
I sent you a greeting card. Please pick it up.
%Sender%
————————————————————————
This one is an easy one to avoid.
Beware of messages about greeting cards.
Stay away from the website www.friendgreetings.com.
Do not download the program.
Do not accept the License Agreement.
This virus does not cause loss of data. It is a spam generating virus. Its target is to clog e-mail systems with millions of
messages. In this case it is also intended to be an advertising tool for Cytron e-greeting. If you choose you may read more here:
http://www.msnbc.com/news/826033.asp