Spyware worm turns on gamers

Security experts today warned of a newly discovered spyware worm, dubbed PrsKey-A, which steals usernames, passwords and information from players of the massive multi-player internet role-playing game, Priston Tale.

The malicious worm lurks in the background waiting for users to enter either Priston Tale or the Yahoo mail system, and then begins capturing keystrokes including usernames and passwords.

"More malware is being written that not only causes disruption, but also steals registration keys, passwords and data from players of computer games," said Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant for Sophos.  

"In many cases the virtual weapons, cash and armour needed for such games are then sold in the real world, where there's a growing demand from online gaming fanatics.  If gamers buy these virtual goods online, they should be careful not to purchase them from internet criminals who are making online life more dangerous for everyone."

Sophos said that it is seeing an increasing number of battles between rival internet gamers using malicious code to assist with this kind of virtual robbery.

Priston Tale is a 3D fantasy multi-player game played over the internet that involves fighting monsters. The game has millions of subscribers around the world, many of them in South Korea where the game originated. It is also played in Japan, China, Taiwan, Thailand and English-speaking countries.

Other popular multi-player online games whose players have been targeted by viruses and Trojan horses in the past include Lineage, Outwar and Legend of Mir 2.

Further information can be found here.