14 DAY TRIAL // Shylock is not the only piece of malware that’s spreading via Skype these days. Trend Micro experts say that another worm, detected as WORM_PHORPIEX.JZ, also uses the messaging platform in an effort to infect as many computers as possible.
Phorpiex uses a number of methods to spread: removable drives, emails and Skype.
Once it finds itself on a device, the malware connects to certain IRC servers and joins the #go channel. Then, it downloads and executes other malicious elements.
It spreads via email by sending out messages containing an attachment, which is actually a copy of the malware itself.
On Skype, the threat is distributed via messages that read “LOL,” followed by a link to what appears to be an image file. The Skype messages are actually generated by a plugin called WORM_PESKY.A
For now, Phorpiex has been mainly targeting users from Japan (83%), followed by the US (2.4%).