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Malware Hijacks Obama Emails

Spammers launch massive 'Obama Trojan' malware campaign to capitalize on victory

By Rob Quinn, Newser Staff

Posted Nov 6, 2008 7:40 AM CST

(Newser) – Malicious hijackers have hitched a ride on the Barack Obama bandwagon, ChannelWeb reports. "Obama Trojan" emails offer a link to an amazing Obama speech or election results, but when the link is opened, it infects computers with malware that sends the user's personal data to a command center and turns the machine into a spam-spewing zombie.

Security experts say the spam attack—which now accounts for 60% of malicious spam— appears to have been planned long in advance to capitalize on Obama's win. They advise that Obama-related emails be approached with caution. "Please apply a grain of common sense," urged one consultant. "If an email is unsolicited, think twice before clicking on the links."

[Images (3)]

[Quotes (1)]

Ryan Kopiasz, a Barack Obama supporter, works on his laptop computer at the Obama 2008 campaign headquarters in Anchorage, Alaska, last month. (AP Photo/Al Grillo)

President-elect Barack Obama waves after giving his acceptance speech at Grant Park in Chicago election night. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

President-elect Barack Obama speaks during the election night party at the Grant Park in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

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The hackers are taking advantage of Obama-mania.
- Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant for SophosLabs

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Malware Hijacks Obama Emails