Internet message boards are awash with a bogus posting claiming that CNN journalists have found the body of Osama Bin Laden, but have been forced to hold back on the news while the US government verifies the identity of the remains.

Informed sources suggest that 30,000 postings have already been detected.

The posting includes a link purporting to be evidence of Bin Laden's death but in fact linking to file that installs the "Hackarmy" Trojan horse and turns an unsuspecting user's computer into a so-called "zombie" - an infected machine that can subsequently be used by attackers to carry out DDoS attacks.

Here's how the message typically reads (note the spelling error in the first line - "Wedensday"):

"Osama Bin Ladin was found hanged by two CNN journalists early Wedensday evening. As evidence they took several photos, some of which I have included here. As yet, this information has not hit the headlines due to Bush wanting confirmation of his identity but the journalists have released some early photos over the Internet..."

Keep far away from it!

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