Although currently considered just an annoyance to AOL Instant Messenger's 20 million users, Gpic.aol and other similar IM threats have the potential to cause severe damage.

	WEEKLY REPORTS Solutions, Prevention & Remedies Top 10 Threats

By posing as one of the contacts on your AIM buddy list, Gpic.aol sends you a message reading, "damn this looks just like me lol," with a corresponding link, tricking you into clicking through to the infected Web site. Once the threat downloads onto your system, it begins to collect the contacts from your buddy list, sending them the message and increasing the distribution of infection.

In their current forms, Gpic.aol and similar IM threats do not allow remote access, erase data or steal information. However, the ease and speed that a worm spreads from user to user combined with the multi-purpose abilities of instant messenger services make users key targets for hackers.

According to an IMlogic report, the number of threats involving IM services like AIM had increased by more than 270 percent over the first three months of 2005. This rise in numbers could mean a new, more damaging breed of IM threat is just a click away.

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Worry Watch Plus Online only:

Information, Protection and Prevention -- Gpic.aol and other threats to IM services
• IMlogic's Gpic.aol definition

• IMlogic April 2005 report

• AOL Instant Messenger Security Info

• Microsoft's 5 Steps to Avoid IM viruses

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Solutions, Preventions, Remedies: Latest Security Updates
Anti-Spyware Product	Latest update	Download Site
Spybot Search and Destroy	Version 1.4 (Released May 31, 2005)	Click here
Spybot Search and Destroy	Version 1.4 (Definitions updated June 2, 2005)	Click here
Ad-Aware SE	SE1R49 31.05.2005 (Definitions updated May 31, 2005)	Click here

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* Reading: Solutions, Prevention & Remedies
Additional summary information related to a specific type of solution or prevention that you should be considering. Depending upon the week, this section may have:
• Recent Windows security releases from Microsoft
• Recent updates to widely used anti-spyware programs
• Recent updates to widely used anti-virus programs
• Recent updates to other security programs & devices (ex: Firewalls, routers)
• Recent updates to various applications in wide use

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Top 10 Threats:
Name	Type	Affects	Alert Level
Netsky.P MORE	Worm	Windows 95, 98, 2000, ME, NT, XP*	Severe
Qhost.gen MORE	Trojan	Windows 2000, NT, XP*	Medium
Mhtredir.gen MORE	Trojan	Windows 95, 98, 2000, ME, NT, XP*	Medium
Sdbot.ftp MORE	Worm	Windows 95, 98, 2000, ME, NT, XP	Medium
Shinwow.E MORE	Trojan	Windows 95, 98, 2000, ME, NT, XP*	Medium
Sdbot.DSH MORE	Worm	Windows 95, 98, 2000, ME, NT, XP	Medium
Gaobot.gen  MORE	Worm	Windows 2000, NT, XP*	High
OleADM.A  MORE	Virus	Windows 95, 98, 2000, ME, NT, XP*	Medium
Psyme.C MORE	Trojan	Windows 95, 98, 2000, ME, NT, XP*	Low
Small.GV MORE	Trojan	Windows 95, 98, 2000, ME, NT, XP*	Medium

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Read: Top Threats
These are viruses that are currently on the watch lists of major anti-virus software companies.

Name
What the threat is called. We use the name given each virus by Panda Software. Sometimes other anti-virus companies give the same threat a different name. Usually they use similar names.

Type
There are different characteristics associated with different types of threats.
• Virus - has the ability to replicate or infect computers or other programs
• Trojan Horse (or Trojan) - appear to be harmless programs when you get them. They unleash their payload when you double-click, open, or execute them.
• Phishing - a Web site or e-maill message posing as another company - usually one you know to fool you into giving the sender personal information.
• Worm - self replicates onto additional disks, computers or networks
• Spyware - installs on your system to collect information about your activity, preferences or interests
• Hoax - false messages sent by e-maill to mislead the recipient
• Backdoors - opens a security hole that allows outsiders to take control of your computer
• Dialer - uses your telephone to dial an outside number - sometimes a number that costs you money when dialed

Affects
Not all viruses affect all types of systems. Some, for example may affect only Windows 98 and 95, but not Windows XP or NT. Others affect all Windows systems, but not Macintosh. In this column, we show you the consumer systems that the threat is known to affect. We don't always include the servers that operate in your company's backroom.

Alert level
The level of awareness that anti-virus vendors suggest you need to have for each threat listed.
For each threat listed, we'll post a corresponding link here, so you can get more information to help you recognize, diagnose, prevent, and repair the problem.