ALERT///: Web Worm Attacks Windows, Spreads Fast, Experts Say

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Update and info on the worm spreading on the Net right now .. Web

Worm Attacks Windows, Spreads Fast, Experts Say

 

 

> Mon August 11, 2003 08:04 PM ET

> By Elinor Mills Abreu

>

> SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - An Internet worm that takes advantage of a

> recently discovered, widespread security hole in Microsoft Corp.'s Windows

> software emerged around the United States on Monday, crashing systems and

> spreading to vulnerable computers, security experts said.

>

> The worm, dubbed LoveSan, Blaster, or MSBlaster, exploits a vulnerability

> in the Distributed Component Object service that is hosted by a Remote

> Procedure Call feature in Windows 2000 and Windows XP that lets computers

> share files, among other activities.

>

> Once it gets onto a vulnerable computer, the program downloads code from a

> previously infected machine that enables it to propagate itself. Then, it

> scans the Internet for other vulnerable machines and attacks them, said

> Johannes Ullrich, chief technology officer at the Internet Storm Center at

> the SANS Institute.

>

> In some cases, the worm crashes the victim machine, but does not infect

it,

> he said.

>

> It is spreading rapidly and has infected several thousand machines,

Ullrich

> said.

>

> The worm also appears to instruct the computer to launch a distributed

> denial of service (DDOS) attack on Aug. 16 against a Microsoft Web site,

he

> added. In a DDOS attack, a Web site is temporarily paralyzed after

> receiving requests from numerous multiple computers.

>

> " It's dangerous from the perspective that it can consume a lot of

> bandwidth, " said Russ Cooper of TruSecure Corp. " Every compromised machine

> is constantly attacking. "

>

> The worm contains code that includes a phrase: " Billy Gates why do you

make

> this possible? Stop making money and fix your software!!, " according to

SANS.

>

> Anti-virus provider Network Associates rated it a medium risk for

consumers

> and corporate computer users, while rival Symantec Corp. rated it a high

> risk for distribution and a low risk for damage.

>

> Last month, Microsoft warned of the vulnerability, which experts said was

> one of the worst to hit a software program in a few years because of the

> number of Windows systems affected.

>

> The U.S. government issued a warning about the security flaw, and then

> released another advisory warning after thousands of machines began

> scanning the Internet looking for vulnerable computers. After that,

experts

> said it was only a matter of time before a worm would appear.

>

> In January, a worm dubbed " Slammer " that exploited a hole in Microsoft SQL

> database software brought automatic teller machines in the United States

to

> a standstill, paralyzed corporate networks worldwide and nearly shut down

> Web access to South Korea.

> http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews & storyID=3259230

>

[Guest guest]

This ol' Mac just keeps lookin' better and better.

 

>Update and info on the worm spreading on the Net right now .. Web

>Worm Attacks Windows, Spreads Fast, Experts Say

>

>

>> Mon August 11, 2003 08:04 PM ET

> > By Elinor Mills Abreu

>>

[snip]

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