Thursday likely marked the largest proliferation of e-mail virus attacks in more than a year, according to security company Postini.
Postini said that two variations of the Storm worm virus, which originally spread across the Internet in January, have quickly driven global virus levels 60 times higher than their daily average. E-mail users should be on alert for messages with "love"-related subject lines and an executable attachment that would contain a Trojan virus, as well as messages with "Worm Alert!" subject lines that contained a .zip file full of malicious code.
Postini, which is based in San Carlos, Calif., says it processes more than 2 billion messages per day in order to compile its reports.
According to warning notices from Postini as well as VeriSign, which also has been following the threat, clicking on the executable file in one of the new Storm worm e-mails installs a rootkit with anti-security measures that mask the malicious software's presence from virus scans and shut down security programs that may be running. The virus then taps into a private peer-to-peer network where it can download new updates and upload personal information from the compromised computer. Additionally, the virus scans the machine's hard drive to locate e-mail addresses to which it can replicate itself.
Ultimately, computers infected with this virus become unknowing "zombies" in a botnet that are used to send out spam and further the attacks. "It is highly likely that this latest attack will result in many more downloads,
pump-and-dump attacks, and more as seen with former Storm worm attacks to date," Ken Dunham, director of VeriSign's Rapid Response Team, said in a statement Thursday.
The recent Storm worm proliferation, coupled with a similar attack earlier this week that involved e-mails with "missile attacks" in the subject line, have made this the
most active week for e-mail virus attacks in at least a year, according to Postini.
Stupid Yahoo Mail's non-existent spam filter did not catch numerous fake emails that purported to be security patches. These emails contained Zipped executeables.
Yes, More than 200 received yesterday. Stop those worms from taking over your brain. <a class="jive-link-external" href="http://brain.com" target="_newWindow">http://brain.com</a>
Ullrich added that it's frustrating that this type of attack, which depends on users opening an attachment from an unknown sender, still works ... and works so well. "It's user stupidity, and that's the thing there is no patch for."
Even if the email gets through your filter you still need to open the zipped file for it to do anything. How do people not know by now that they shouldn't open random files that show up in their inbox?
If you are reading C|Net news, you are most likely more computer illiterate than 95% of the users out there. Considering the proliferation of viruses, there are obviously a lot of people that don't have a clue. In fact, I best most of them have no idea that they are infected.
It's not like the old days where if you had a computer you were most likely computer literate. These days computer users include moms, dads, grandparents, aunts & uncles, kids, etc. They are ignorant of threats to their computers. They open them, get infected, and innocently pass them on to family and friends. It's no different than the people that get ripped off by the con artist outside the bank or store.
For people who don't have time to tend a Zen garden, the Zen Table will handle the work for you. The table is filled with silicone beads and a robotic system that "rakes" images into the sand.
Tommy Jordan, the man who shot his daughter's laptop for YouTube, gets a visit from police and child protection services. Oh, and Good Morning America.
The Samsung Galaxy Mini 2 S6500 could make its debut at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona later this month, according to a leaked promotional image.
The Washington State Senate passed a bill that would charge electric car owners $100 per year to compensate for not paying gas taxes. The bill still has to pass the House.
For Windows updates, go to windowsupdate.microsoft.com -
For software updates go to the software manufacturers' or developers' website and get the update directly from them.
One of the oldest rules in computerdom is DO NOT open attachments from emails that you do not recognize.
For Windows updates, go to windowsupdate.microsoft.com -
For software updates go to the software manufacturers' or developers' website and get the update directly from them.
One of the oldest rules in computerdom is DO NOT open attachments from emails that you do not recognize.
worms from taking over your brain.
<a class="jive-link-external" href="http://brain.com" target="_newWindow">http://brain.com</a>
Ullrich added that it's frustrating that this type of attack, which depends on users opening an attachment from an unknown sender, still works ... and works so well. "It's user stupidity, and that's the thing there is no patch for."
(<a class="jive-link-external" href="http://www.informationweek.com/security/showArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=1BUBANDDYOU5UQSNDLPSKHSCJUNN2JVN?articleID=199000691" target="_newWindow">http://www.informationweek.com/security/showArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=1BUBANDDYOU5UQSNDLPSKHSCJUNN2JVN?articleID=199000691</a>)
attachments?
User stupidity starts at the computer store.
computer illiterate than 95% of the users out there. Considering
the proliferation of viruses, there are obviously a lot of people
that don't have a clue. In fact, I best most of them have no idea
that they are infected.
It's not like the old days where if you had a computer you were
most likely computer literate. These days computer users
include moms, dads, grandparents, aunts & uncles, kids, etc.
They are ignorant of threats to their computers. They open
them, get infected, and innocently pass them on to family and
friends. It's no different than the people that get ripped off by
the con artist outside the bank or store.