It's never a good idea to click on a link from anyone that you don't know, and even from people that you do know well, you should still take caution. Yet, a form of malware that is currently spreading to a number of PCs is being delivered via the Skype PC VoIP client using that method.
The GFI Labs website first reported the issue a few days ago when it began getting notices of IMs in the Skype client with a link to a URL. The report states that people who click on this link then download the malware to their PCs.
GFI states:
The file being offered up is most commonly known as “skype_02102012_image.exe”. Running the file will cause it to self delete and the infected PC will begin making DNS requests to a number of URLs, including a .pl, a .com and a .kz - we also saw references to IRC channel names in the network traffic and are investigating further.
News.com got a statement from Skype who says, "We are aware of this malicious activity and are working quickly to mitigate its impact." It added that Skype users should update to the latest version of their software as well as update their anti-virus software. Of course, Skype also recommends that users simply don't click on a link to any URL that looks odd, even if it seems to come from one of your own Skype contacts.
Source: GFI | Image via GFI
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