Recent versions of the Bagle worm have bypassed corporate gateway security measures because they are distributed in password-protected Zip files, which are next to impossible for antivirus programs to scan. E-mails infected with the Bagle worm, however, contain the password required for opening the Zip file.

On Wednesday, antivirus vendors BitDefender and Kaspersky Labs both launched updates enabling their software to open any encrypted attachments using the password contained in the e-mail text. Once the file is decrypted, it is treated as an executable file and scanned normally.

Eugene Kaspersky, head of antivirus research at Kaspersky Labs, said: "This new technology protects users from a new generation of worms, specifically worms that hide in password-protected Zip files. Five worms using this technique appeared within only four days--a new trend has been set in the computer underground," he said.

By Munir Kotadia at ZDNet.

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