AOL TW hit by e-mail attack

February 1, 2001

Users of AOL Time Warner's internet service are being plagued by a surge of malicious e-mails, loaded with hidden programs than steal passwords and other personal data.

McAfee.com, the web security group, on Thursday said it was the most sustained attack of its kind that it had recorded on the internet access service, the world's largest web community.

The e-mails - often carrying the message 'hey you' - contain an attached program known as a trojan. When a user clicks on it, it delves into their computer, stealing passwords and sending it to another e-mail address.

The number of infected files tracked by McAfee's systems have more than doubled in the past three weeks.

Andrew Heavens, emailtoday.com

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