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Malware targets 'Simpsons' fans on AIM

By Elinor Mills , CNET News.com on July 14, 2008 

 

Summary

Dormant Simpsons-related AIM buddy promises Web-exclusive episode of the show but instead infects the machine with software that turns it into a botnet zombie.

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Submit

Whatever you do, do not run that .exe file from "Chunkylover53", an alias for Homer Simpson.

Years ago, fans of The Simpsons added "Chunkylover53" to their AIM buddy list after learning that the writer-producer of the show was responding to fans in the voice of Homer from "Chunkylover53@aol.com".

Since then, the screen name has been inactive, until a few days ago when Chunkylover53's "Away" message appeared, prompting people to click on a link and run an executable in order to see "a *new* Internet-only exclusive Simpson's episode".

Of course, the file does not show a Simpsons video. It infects the machine with a Trojan that throws up error messages, crashes the computer when attempting to open Windows Explorer and drops other nasty files onto the machine, making it part of what is believed to be a Turkish botnet, according to FaceTime, which secures IM, collaboration and Web apps for corporations.

This article was first published as a blog on CNET News.com.

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