Malicious Email Downloads 'Drive-by Virus' Just by Clicking Open

In the good ol' days, one had to actually be duped into opening the attachment -- or clicking the link -- of a virus-infected email. Now, a new type of PC virus comes without warning.

This is the subject line you need to watch out for: Banking Security Update

The Daily Mail explains how the virus works:

A new class of cyber attack is threatening PCs -- emails which infect PCs without the user having to open an attachment.

The user will not even be warned this is happening -- the only message that appears is "loading."

The email automatically downloads malicious software into your computer from elsewhere the moment a user clicks to open it.

Think your security system will catch the email? Chances are probably not -- unless you have your security software set at maximum level. The Daily Mail reports that because the email itself isn't necessarily infected, many security systems will not pick up on it. Security experts were reported as saying the virus is "particularly dangerous."

Eleven Research Team states that the new virus is called a "drive-by virus," consisting of an HTML email that only requires the user to open the mail.