Vicious Bugs Lurk in Digital Photo Frames

Digital photo frames of the kids on shelves across America are cute and trendy—but they can hide computer heartbreak, warns the San Francisco Chronicle. Destructive bugs can lurk in the software and wipe out entire files as photos are being downloaded. "It was the nastiest virus I've ever encountered," said one man of a Christmas present that attacked his computer.

It's the latest way for hackers to wreak havoc as malware—malicious software—is reaching beyond computers into devices that plug into them, such as photo frames and MP3 players. Manufacturers and retailers are scrambling to protect the devices, but as programs for photo frames become more sophisticated, they can also increase their infection power, warn security experts. (More computer virus stories.)