MSNBC's excellent "Red Tape Chronicles" blog pulls the curtain back on the latest Internet worms and viruses that find their way into computers by hiding behind fake news headlines.
"The Red Tape Chronicles" reports:
To entice users to click on the links that will infect their computers with the notorious Storm worm, they have dispatched an avalanche of e-mail with fantastic news headlines in recent weeks. The average Net user is getting about 60 of the phony news bulletins per day, says the security firm MessageLabs.
Here's a sampling of subject lines:
"Bill Clinton in today's Times -- thank god Hilary didn't beat Obama."
“Beijing Olympics canceled upon the death of China's president."
"Obama bows out of presidential race."
"Scandal rocks Obama as lurid sex video leaked?"
"Dog digs grave for owner."
And perhaps the most fantastic of all,
"Oil falls below $100 a barrel."
