Computer worm calls for death penalty

Computer viruses are all too common these days, unfortunately. Less common, however, are ones that advocate the use of capital punishment. This is the case with Zafi-B, which is a new peer-to-peer and email worm from Eastern Europe. According to Sophos, which has translated the text from its Hungarian original, infected PCs will see a message box that reads: 'We demand that the government accommodates the homeless, tightens up the penal code and VOTES FOR THE DEATH PENALTY to cut down the increasing crime. Jun. 2004, Pécs (SNAF Team)'

And it seems that Zafi-B is spreading rapidly. According to Sophos, it has accounted for 60 per cent of all reported viruses since it first appeared on Friday 11 June. European elections, of course, have been taking place across the continent this weekend.

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