World Cup worm sent off to email users

Think you've just scored tickets for the FIFA 2006 World Cup in Germany next month? Think again - and be careful.

Email users are being warned about a new mass mailing worm using World Cup themed messages as a ploy, according to an advisory posted by F-Secure.

The worm, written in German and called Banwarum, Zasran and Ranchneg, sends itself to users as a password protected archive, including the password in the email, according to the advisory.

There are three versions of the worm in the wild, according to F-Secure.

An English translation of the viral email reads as follows: "Hi man. I saw that you want to go to the World Cup. Don’t ask who I am and why I am doing this. Here you have five pieces, which are a special online version. Print it and sign." The email is then signed by "Nobody;)."

St. Bernard Software warned this week that companies face a potential drain on productivity during the World Cup, according to a May survey.

Eighty-five percent of organizations do not plan to block workers’ internet access during the world’s most popular sporting event, according to the survey.