Computer Worm Poses as E-Mail From FBI, CIA – ‘Sober X’ Web Threat Spreads Quickly

It’s being called the worst computer worm of the year — a fast-spreading Internet threat that looks like an official e-mail from the CIA or FBI but can leave your computer wide open to intruders.

The bogus e-mail claims the government has discovered you visiting "illegal" Web sites and asks you to open an attachment to answer some official questions. If you do, your computer gets infected with malware that can disable security and firewall programs and blast out similar e-mails to contacts in your address book. It can also keep you from getting to computer security Web sites that might help fix the problem, and it may open your Windows computer to intruders who can steal your personal data.

By Arshad Mohammed and Brian Krebs
Washington Post Staff Writers

Full Story: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/23/AR2005112302147.html?sub=AR