Harry Potter virus spreads

MUGGLES beware – there’s a Harry Potter computer virus spreading out there.

The clever worm is being fuelled by eager fans desperate to find out the ending of JK Rowling’s final book, out on July 21.

When it’s opened, the file called ‘HarryPotter-TheDeathlyHallows.doc’ tells fans the boy wizard is dead – and it’s being spread by infecting USB memory drives.

Graham Cluley, of Sophos, said: “Using such social engineering at this time is a trick dastardly enough for Lord Voldemort himself.”

He added: “The fact that this worm has been inspired by the tales of a fictional schoolboy wizard doesn’t make it a harmless prank.

“A worm like this, which infects and tampers with users’ computers without their permission, is committing a criminal act.”

The Hairy-A virus will also add new users onto the PC named as characters from the books like Harry, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley.

It also changes the computer’s internet homepage to a spoof of Amazon.com displaying a novel called Harry Putter and the Chamber of Cheesecakes.

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