Bin Laden virus

Tell your kids not to open any attachment or go to any Web site that's supposed to show pictures of Osama bin Laden. It's just another attempt by some malicious hacker to take control of your family PC. Reuters cites computer security experts saying that the virus was written by someone who runs a "zombie network" - a huge network of PCs that have been infected by a "trojan" virus that allows its code writer to take over people's computers (turn them into zombies - see my 7/16 issue). "The zombified computers can then be used to distribute spam [and make money] or launch denial-of-service attacks [and make trouble]." Anti-virus companies have updated their services, so be sure your family PC's anti-virus software or service is right in step with your anti-virus provider. For more on "zombie networks," see "1 very illegal summer job." Here's more on the bin Laden virus at the BBC.