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Threat of the month: Waledac

Waledac worm

What is it?
The second generation of what was originally known as the Storm Worm, Waledac is a mass mailing virus that got its name from the original subject lines used in emails.

How does it work?
Waledac has generally followed many of the tactics of its predecessor, luring users to click on links to infected websites using social engineering lures focused on holiday themes, e-cards and breaking news stories. A recent variant has used the tough economy as a hook to trick users into visiting a spoofed coupon site infected with malware.

Should I be worried?
Yes, an attacker can infect PCs with malicious code that secretly sends out spam as part of the Waledac botnet.

How can I prevent it?
A combination of education and technology is key. First, it's important that users understand how these types of threats can manifest themselves so that they avoid malicious website links or attachments. Second, organizations should deploy defense-in-depth strategies that include technologies to keep malicious emails out of the inbox and also protects users in the event they inadvertently browse to a malware infected website.

Sam Masiello, VP of information security, MX Logic


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