Yahoo Messenger worm turns on IE
Researchers have identified an "insidious" threat affecting Yahoo Messenger. A self-propagating worm, named yhoo32.explr, installs a piece of software called 'Safety Browser' and then hijacks the Internet Explorer homepage, leading users to a site that puts spyware on their PCs.
Because Safety Browser uses the IE icon to identify itself, users can easily mistake it for the legitimate Internet Explorer. This is the first recorded incidence of malware installing its own web browser on a PC without the user's permission, according to security firm FaceTime.
The self-propagating worm spreads the infection to all contacts in Yahoo! Messenger by sending a website link that loads a command file onto the user's PC and installs Safety Browser.
