When you buy through affiliate links in our content, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Learn What Does Kelvir Worm Mean?
The Kelvir Worm is an instant messaging (IM) worm that spreads through MSN Messenger by sending a link to all the computer user’s Windows Messenger (formerly MSN Messenger) contacts. This link points to a site that hosts the worm, which tries to download and run an infected file from the Internet. The Kelvir Worm often does not contain a destructive payload, but merely spreads from one computer to another. The risk of infection from this worm is considered low.
Techopedia Explains Kelvir Worm
The Kelvir Worm usually makes its way onto computers by sending the user an instant message, which may include a number of messages, such as “this is so funny” or “LOL. See it! U’ll like it.” This message contains a link to the file omg.pif. If the user clicks on the link, the file is downloaded, infects the computer and spreads itself to other computers by sending out instant messages to all the IM contacts in that machine.
This worm was first reported in 2005 and was followed by many similar variants. The Kelvir Worm is a variant of the SDbot family of worms and Trojan horses, which exploit security vulnerabilities to attain backdoor entry to systems and then spread throughout them.
The Kelvir Worm can be removed by running a system scan, deleting all the worm files and updating any values the worm may have added to the registry. To avoid infection, users should install updated anti-virus software and avoid clicking on suspicious links.
