New non-email-bearing worms

Increasingly, instant-messagers and gamers are the victims of worms and viruses. The newest IM worm, which is multilingual and first checks what language a Windows PC is configured to use, attacks MSN Messenger users, CNET reports. IM-ers at your house should know that "when it hits an English system, the worm sends out the following message: 'haha i found your picture!'" When a PC gets infected with it (when the IM-er clicks on the link in the message), it's sent to everyone on the IM-er's buddy list. Clicking on the link downloads "malicious software that installs a backdoor and furthers the spread of the worm." For help, see "Tips from a tech-savvy dad: IM precautions." The new game worm is not widespread but points to a trend, The Register reports. Players of the fantasy role-playing game Priston Tale have had their usernames, passwords, and virtual property stolen by virus writers. Their objective is to steal virtual goods like swords in order to sell them online for real money. Other multiplayer games that have been targeted in this way include Lineage, Outwar and Legend of Mir 2, according to The Register. "Last month a group of people were arrested in South Korea over allegations that they spread password stealing programs in order to steal the resources of online gamers."