[KS] NB! Possible virus, masquerading as news about Korea

[Afostercarter at aol.com]

NB! Possible virus,  masquerading as news about Korea 
Dear friends and colleagues, 
I’ve been getting a number of messages like the one  below. 
They look as if they are news items about Korea, and the   
first time this happened I very nearly clicked on the  link. 
(AOL’s filters don’t pick them up as  spam.) 
But I was and am suspicious: 
* They are always sent by unknown individuals, often  with 
odd or slightly implausible names; 
* The links (I’ve disabled these below, lest anyone click  inadvertently) 
lead to a site called Newsplaza.net, which simply says  Hello. 
* The URL given, which one can see by hovering the cursor over the  link 
BUT not clicking (a useful trick for sniffing out spam) ends in  .HTA. 
I’m no techie, but I gather this  is an executable code – ie trouble. 
(I would give the link, but again I don’t want anyone who is  reading 
their mail in a hurry clicking by  mistake.) 
Has anyone else been getting messages like  this? 
Are my suspicions correct, or is paranoia setting  in? 
Maybe some nice stranger is just trying to help me  keep 
uptodate on North Korea. Or maybe  not. 
In case it helps persons cleverer than me to detect the source,   
I also append the full path details  below. 
Beware! 
Best wishes 
Aidan 
Aidan  Foster-Carter 
Honorary  Senior Research Fellow in Sociology & Modern Korea, Leeds 
University, UK   
Flat 1, 40  Magdalen Road, Exeter, Devon, EX2 4TE, England, UK 
T: (+44, no  0)    07970 741307  (mobile);   01392 257753   Skype: 
Aidan.Foster.Carter 
E: _afostercarter at aol.com_ (mailto:afostercarter at aol.com) ,   
_afostercarter at yahoo.com_ (mailto:afostercarter at yahoo.com)                 W: 
_www.aidanfc.net_ (http://www.aidanfc.net/)  
_________________________ 
Subject: [Further News] Kim Jong Il in 'Full Control' of  North Korea  
Date: 8/12/2009 07:37:56 GMT Standard Time   
From: robert.condn at gmail.com   
Reply To:   
To: Afostercarter at aol.com   
CC:   
BCC:   
Sent on:   
"Kim Jong Il in 'Full Control' of North Korea, National  Security Chief 
Says"  
AUG 12,2009 3:50PM,  EST 
Despite reports that Kim is ailing and indications that  he is setting up 
his own succession, National Security Adviser Jim Jones tells  "FOX News 
Sunday" that he has not lost his grip on  power. 
FULL STORY 
`  
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Date: Wed, 12 Aug 2009 15:37:34  +0900 
Message-ID:  <ac62bc110908112337u674a1c18qcf454b99486be55e at mail.gmail.com> 
Subject: [Further News] Kim Jong Il in 'Full Control' of  North Korea 
From: Robert Condon  <robert.condn at gmail.com> 
To:  Afostercarter at aol.com 
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