'Hey You' virus can steal AOL passwords
AOL users are being warned to look out for an e-mail virus that can steal their passwords.
Security software firm McAfee.com has issued the alert after noticing a 100% rise in infections from the APStrojan. The strain has been around for over a year, but has been recently refined to target AOL communities.
The virus is in an attachment accompanying an e-mail entitled 'Hey You'. If opened, the file attempts to steal victims' AOL account names and passwords.
It perpetuates itself by reading and sending itself to friends' e-mail addresses listed in their "buddy lists".
Victims are first alerted to the infection when they experience difficulty in shutting down their computers.
