The authors of the prolific Warezov worm are targeting users of Skype.

Warezov variants first cropped up in September 2006 and spread in the attachments of email messages posing as security fixes. Instead of arriving via an email attachment, the latest variant of the worm spreads using a bogus Skype chat message asking users to click on a link, which points to a hacker-controlled website hosting malicious codes.

Some older Warezov variants used other Instant Messaging clients in a similar fashion, but this variant (Warezov-LY) is the first to use Skype, anti-virus firm F-secure reports.

This Warezov family of worms is notable for the rate at which new variants of the malware are being produced, making detection and removal a big challenge for anti-virus vendors who've had to update anti-virus signatures rapidly as a result. ®

Related stories

• Warezov botnet rises from the grave (16 October 2008)
• Skype worm blows bubbles at victims (11 September 2007)
• Skype worm leaps onto MSN (24 May 2007)
• Skype IM malware smut surfaces (16 April 2007)
• Skype does directory enquiries and dirty chat lines (16 March 2007)
• Imperfect Storm aids spammers (19 February 2007)
• Anatomy sheds new light on Storm Worm (9 February 2007)
• Hackers call on Skype to spread Trojan (20 December 2006)
• Skype malware scam targets Turkey (10 August 2006)
• IM worm installs rogue browser (22 May 2006)
• Say hello to the Skype Trojan (18 October 2005)
• Polyglot IM worm targets MSN (25 August 2005)