new worm - critical warning

Symantec is reporting the mail servers of various popular email services such as Hotmail and Yahoo to be bogged down with a new worn, code-named Evaman.

The security firm, Symantec, has given this worm a critical warning and states that this worm could be as as dangerous as the MyDoom virus.

Evaman occupies a false email address, sends itself to PC users as an attachment, and once the attachment is opened, the system turns into a host system to send out more emails with the same malicious code.

The headings are common to the ones users encounter everyday in their inbox - "Failed Transaction" or "Delivery Failure". This worm has the potential to take control over Windows 95, 98, ME, 2000, XP, NT, and Windows Server 2003.

According to some reports, it sometimes opens a common text file and selects a SMTP mail server from the already embedded list.

If for some reason Evaman can't connect to servers via its embedded list, it goes to a particular registery key in the system to connect. It then logs onto email.people.yahoo.com, searches for public email addresses, takes the information, and continues to spread.

Symantec reacted quickly on the threat and released a new patch, which is available on their website.