I just got a link to http:// vbulettin.com/msn.php?email=<email]http://vbulettin.com/msn.php?email=<emailHere>

It was sent to me by someone on IM

She said she did not send me a link minutes later.

The file downloaded was unknown@hotmail.com

.com is the file extension for a MS-DOS executable, although it is disguised as an email address here.

Did you actually download this virus?

This is a very serious matter. Please question the person who sent you this and find out if they REALLY sent you it on purpose.

Nice, why is it an MSN virus though??
This can happen anywhere, I could provide a link from here.
It is a virus that can be spread via MSN and is a fairly basic trick.

Who do you think sent it? Like, would it be a harmless virus?

Mynck, I really hope you weren't dumb enough to download it...

I downloaded it, but you'd have to be dumb to run it. And viruses typically send themselves.

From bleablah's account?

Here's what viruses do. Once they get onto your computer, if it's run, it will make copies of itself without your knowledge, and possibly send them to others.

And usually proceed to do something malicious like shut down your computer every 30 seconds, or delete files, or open files till your computer crashes.

Who would send out viruses like that, but disturbed people themselves.....?

Yes, people who send out viruses that reproduce themselves are sick, and do it to exhibit power over other people.

worms are the ones that reproduce themselves:
Worm: This is similar to a virus, but it differs in that all it does is make copies of itself (or part of itself).

Virus: Viruses are programs that can enter computers or IT systems in a number of ways, causing effects that range from simply annoying to highly-destructive and irreparable.

the are the definitions according to Panda Software (an anti-virus company)

one bottom line is don't open EXE's, or COM's without knowing where they came from and what they are.

Don't open any filetype you don't recognize, either, because once I saw a virus take the form of some obscure filetype that turned out to be executable.

And make sure the person didn't do something like "filename.txt <lots of spaces> .exe"

Do you think that the virus sent to you was deadly or just annoying?