Security firms are warning that Trojan malware installers are being placed inside emails claiming to offer videos of the hanging of former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.
Symantec and F-Secure have issued warnings to users that emails are being sent out which advertise video footage of the execution. The user is then prompted to install a .exe or .scr file which contains the malware. 

An email obtained by Symantec contained a photo of the execution and advertised the complete video.

When users clicked on the link, they were sent to a site hosting a file called 'video_sadan.exe' which in turn attempted to download a piece of malware called 'infostealer.bancos'.

F-Secure reported a similar series of attacks, which used email attachments instead of links.

When the attachments were launched, a Portuguese-language YouTube page displaying search results for 'execution' was displayed while the attachments attempted to download and install malware on the users' systems.

F-Secure added that two of the attachments appeared as .exe files, while the third was listed as a .scr screen-saver file.

Symantec advised users not to open any attachments about the Saddam Hussein execution.

"Beware, you morbid types," the company warned. "In this case, [the Trojan] is trying to appeal to the dark side of the individuals who are on the receiving end of the email."