The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) reports that Netizens wishing to help victims of the recent tsunami, and who attempt to donate money online to relief organizations, may themselves become victims of a browser exploit that will infect their boxes.

Characteristically short on specifics, the Bureau fails to mention which of the several recent browser exploits affecting and infecting IE users is in play.

"False Web sites have been established that pretend to be legitimate relief organizations asking for donations - one of which contains an embedded Trojan exploit that can infect your computer with a virus if accessed," the Bureau reported Wednesday.

Which website, and which exploit, we are left to guess. Far be it from the FBI to diminish its own inflated importance, or inflated budget, by offering a few tiny scraps of information with which we might protect ourselves without its intervention.

"What are we doing about it?" the Bureau asks rhetorically.

It answers itself thus: "The FBI, in conjunction with domestic with [sic] international law enforcement and industry partners, abhor [sic] these egregious actions and are [sic] resolved to aggressively pursuing [sic] those who would attempt to victimize philanthropic individuals."

So, what it's doing is: it's abhorring with the appropriate degree of indignation, and it's resolving to act at the appropriate time and in the appropriate manner, exhibiting the classic Bush administration Leadership Qualities from which Americans derive no end of comfort.

Additionally, there have been 419 scam emails circulating, the Bureau says, in which purported rich victims of the recent calamity, now suddenly destitute, appeal for help in retrieving money deposited overseas.

Perhaps most appalling, those who have appealed online for information about missing friends and relatives are being contacted via email by opportunists proposing to investigate, in exchange for a hefty retainer.

Ain't technology wonderful? ®

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