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Virus Worm Attacks Yahoo Mail Users

The largest provider of email services, Yahoo, has announced on Monday that "a very small fraction" of its huge customer base was attacked by online virus software. Yahoo is supplying email services for more than 200 million registered users, and some of those accounts were affected by a software virus aimed at Yahoo Mail users. The virus was dubbed Yamanner and appeared in Yahoo inboxes as "New Graphic Site" email.

The message, once opened, infects the computer and spreads to other Yahoo account through the infected Yahoo Mail user. Most online worms come in the form of attached files to sent emails and the user must execute the attachment in order to be infected. The new word infects the computer from the moment the mail is opened and no other applications are needed to be executed.

We have taken steps to resolve the issue and protect our users from further attacks of this worm," Yahoo representative Kelley Podboy said in a statement. "When we learn of e-mail abuse, such as a worm or other online threat, we take appropriate action," she said. "A solution has been automatically distributed to all Yahoo Mail customers, and requires no additional action on the part of the user."