Windows Live Messenger is in all its glory right now. The application, currently in beta, is in hot demand by IMers everywhere. Since the only way to get into the program is through invitation, even eBay has capitalized on the program's demand by selling the rare invites. Now, a website called msgr8beta.com is capitalizing on the instant messaging program's popularity by delivering a virus disguised as the new beta.
The executable is named BETA8WEBINSTALL.EXE, and it installs a worm that will send invites to everyone on your buddy list, asking them to install via a link to msgr8beta.com. On the backside, the virus connects to a botnet server, which allows remote commands to be executed on infected PCs. F-Secure, the anti-virus company that discovered the worm, has named it "Virkel.F," which stems from its relative named "Kelvir."
The msgr8beta website was registered to a Mark Nicholas of Richmond, U.K. on December 24, 2005. There is a good chance that the site is registered under stolen contact information, but no word has surfaced yet. Currently, I am not able to reach the site. It was either taken down by the ISP or overloaded with traffic from people trying to download what they think is the new Messenger. I'm inclined to go with the latter.
As things currently stand, the only way into the Windows Live Messenger program is through invitation, which can come from someone already involved in the program or from Microsoft directly. Microsoft has made no mention of when the program will be widely available.
"A towel is about the most massively useful
thing an interstellar hitchhiker can have."
