Online Valentine cards may contain worm

Valentine's Day e-greetings from a stranger could deliver more than the recipient bargained for in the shape of a destructive "Trojan horse" that hijacks computers, the FBI warned.

If you unexpectedly receive a Valentine's Day e-card, be careful, it could be the Storm Worm malicious software (malware). Be on the lookout for spam emails spreading it. The Storm Worm virus has capitalized on various holidays in the last year by sending millions of emails advertising an e-card link within the text of the spam email. Valentine's Day has been identified as their target.

A botnet is a network of computers that, unbeknownst to their users, forward transmissions, such as spam, viruses and malware, to other computers linked to the Internet. Botnets can also be used in identity theft, the FBI warned, urging Internet users not to open Valentine's greetings from unknown senders.