14 DAY TRIAL // It's called Bropia.A, and it's not exactly the lean, mean killing machine, but it's enough of an annoyance for some unfortunate enough users of MSN Messenger. The worm links to a Trojan horse that will log keystrokes collect system information and spread instant messaging spam.
First thing the worm does is "get in touch" with all the contacts stored in your buddy list for both MSN and Windows Messenger and make sure it sends a copy of itself to all your contacts.
Then, it attempts to download a Trojan horse called Rbot, which opens a backdoor into the Windows OS.
If you're sick and tired of SPAM, then having to deal with SPIM (as instant messaging unsolicited mail is called) is another aspect you will have to consider when thinking about computer safety. It looks like virus authors are no longer happy with releasing email threats into the wild, but IM is also a great choice, considering the huge popularity this system has all over the world.
MSN Messenger and Yahoo Messenger are the most targeted IM programs since they are ranked in the top choices especially in Europe, and the only real competitor is AOL's Instant Messenger, AIM.
Another threat to the MSN Messenger network was spotted last October, when W32/Funner spread sending users a message and attachment that once opened infected the system by installing to its registry and then replicating itself.