Akonix Security Center Identifies and Blocks 'Pretty Girl' Virus; 20,000 Computers Infected in One Day Due to IM Threat.SAN DIEGO San Diego (săn dēā`gō), city (1990 pop. 1,110,549), seat of San Diego co., S Calif., on San Diego Bay; inc. 1850. San Diego includes the unincorporated communities of La Jolla and Spring Valley. Coronado is across the bay. -- Akonix Systems, Inc. today identified a new instant messaging Exchanging text messages in real time between two or more people logged into a particular instant messaging (IM) service. Instant messaging is more interactive than e-mail because messages are sent immediately, whereas e-mail messages can be queued up in a mail server for seconds or (IM) virus named "Gai Xinh" (Pretty Girl), that started in Vietnam, propagating over a leading public IM network. The Akonix Security Center immediately used the industry's only real-time IM malware (MALicious softWARE) Software designed to destroy, aggravate and otherwise make life unhappy. See crimeware, virus, worm, logic bomb, macro virus and Trojan. , spim and protocol update system to automatically push updates to customers for protection against this threat. DESCRIPTION: The "Gai Xinh" (Pretty Girl) virus was unleashed by a Vietnamese programmer, and is the first of its kind in the country. The virus uses a leading instant messaging program to infect infect /in·fect/ (in-fekt´) 1. to invade and produce infection in. 2. to transmit a pathogen or disease to. in·fect v. 1. computers when users click on a link ostensibly os·ten·si·ble adj. Represented or appearing as such; ostensive: His ostensible purpose was charity, but his real goal was popularity. from an instant messenger AOL's instant messaging service. See AIM and instant messaging. contact. Clicking on the link sends an instant message with the same link to all contacts. Akonix classified this as a low risk virus and predicts it will not continue to spread as fast, because the message inviting users to view photos of beautiful women is only written in Vietnamese. Even so, the virus has already been detected in Europe and the US. To learn more about the "Gai Xinh" (Pretty Girl) virus, please visit the Akonix Security Center at http://www.imsecuritycenter.com. PREVENTION: Akonix L7 Enterprise customers are automatically protected with 360 Degree Security for Real-Time Communications(TM) which includes detection, protection and containment of IM malware. Akonix systems are automatically configured to download and install the latest updates to the Akonix spim & Malware Filter, and no IT intervention is required. Akonix L7 Enterprise is the industry's only IM security system that combines dynamically updated IM security policies and integrated anti-virus scanning to provide the most comprehensive protection for corporate networks from IM-based attacks. For other organizations, it's recommended to ensure all desktop computers are updated with the latest security patches A fix to a program that eliminates a vulnerability exploited by malicious hackers. See vulnerability and patch. , and that all public IM use is appropriately blocked or managed. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Akonix Security Center experts are available to comment on the "Gai Xinh" (Pretty Girl) virus and other real-time security risks. Representatives are able to discuss the rise in IM threats, based on the increased use of IM for business critical communications. For more information about the Akonix Security Center, or to sign up for IM security alerts, please visit www.imsecuritycenter.com. |
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