Worm threatens web-based email accounts

Security vulnerability causes serious hassle for servers...

A researcher has uncovered a serious flaw in a number of web-based email services that could allow virus writers to infect a user's PC with a single click.

According to the report on the BugTraq security mailing list, the vulnerability could be exploited to create a self-mailing worm that could clog inboxes and put a serious strain on web servers.

The flaw lets an attacker create an email containing a link that acts as a worm which, if clicked, provides access to the account holder's inbox and details.

Microsoft said it had already developed a patch for the fix for Hotmail, while Yahoo! claims its own email service is now secure.