If you get an e-mail from BBC News listing the headlines of the latest news stories of the day, with a link saying "Read More...", do not click on it. You are just a click away from the BBC News virus doing the rounds. Close the mail and delete it.

Security firms Websense discovered the BBC News virus. The mail you get is not from BBC News or BBC World nor any BBC affiliate. The headline and logos make the mail look like the authentic BBC mail. Once you click on the Read More link, you are taken to a website that looks similar to the BBC New website. The malicious website installs a piece of software into the user's PC, a spyware known as keylogger. The hidden spyware monitors activities on your computer, and secretly uploads the data to a remote computer. if you are the type doing frequent financial transactions on the Net, well, the BBC News trojan loves you! It catches hold of your username and password and transfers it to a faceless attacker.

The BBC virus / trojan has its task made easy due to a security flaw in Internet Explorer. Microsoft has earlier that it will release some patches in April, but the latest virus may hasten the plans. Mozilla Firefox, the alternate browser uses a different engine named Gecko. It is not clear whether the BBC spyware can attack Firefox users. But for the moment, the warning is restricted to Internet Explorer, used by about 90% of Web surfers. Vulnerability of Netscape is also not known.

BBC has warned against clicking on the links. BBC said that there have been spoof sites of BBC even before, something the news giant has come to live with. "But using them in this way to attack people's online security is particularly troubling to us and a cause for serious concern," said BBC News website editor. This is the first time that BBC is coming to face to face with a virus that exploits its credibility.

According to Websense which discovered the BBC trojan, it is common practice among hackers to use the names of celebrities/events/institutions to strike at unsuspecting web surfers. Some of the recent popular viruses in the past include the "I Love You Virus", "Michael Jackdon virus" and the "World Cup Soccer virus". Now, BBC News also joins the hackers' list of names to live by.