Fact Check

Shakira's Pictures Virus

Information about the 'Shakira's Pictures' worm.

Published June 7, 2002

Claim:

Claim:   A message with a subject line of "Shakira's Pictures" may include a virus.


Status:   True.

Example:   [Collected on the Internet, 2001]




Subject: Shakira's Pictures

Message:
Hi :
i have sent the photos via attachment
have funn...

Attachment: ShakiraPics.jpg.vbs



Origins:   Yes, "Shakira's Pictures" (also known as "ShakiraPics" or VBS.VBSWG.AQ@mm) is yet another worm that infects PCs through e-mail attachments, then attempts to replicate itself by using Microsoft Outlook to send itself to the contacts in the infected user's Outlook program. After infection, it displays the following message:

See the links below for more information on detecting and removing this virus.

Additional Information:






    VBS.VBSWG.AQ@mm   VBS.VBSWG.AQ@mm   (Symantec)
    VBS/VBSWG.aq@MM   VBS/VBSWG.aq@MM   (McAfee Virus Information Library)

Last updated:   29 January 2008


David Mikkelson founded the site now known as snopes.com back in 1994.