** Experts anxious over possible Web attack **

[bill addiss]

Experts anxious over possible Web attack

(CNN) -- Seeing a rise in hacker activity that could be a prelude to a broad Internet attack, security experts Thursday urged computer users to protect their machines by installing a free patch offered by Microsoft.

Potential For Significant Impact On Internet Operations Due To Vulnerability In Microsoft Operating Systems

We implore the private sector -- both business and home users -- to visit the Microsoft Web site and install the patches and mitigations necessary to prevent this from creating a negative effect on the Internet as a whole.
-- FBI spokesman Bill Murray

[ July 31, 2003, 11:34 PM: Message edited by: bill addiss ]

 

[txsparky]

Re: ** Experts anxious over possible Web attack **

Thanks for the "Heads Up!" Bill. Looks like my Winders 98 is gonna be alright though.

 

[bill addiss]

Re: ** Experts anxious over possible Web attack **

Donnie?

Yep, is this the Version you have?
>> Winders 98


Bill

[ August 01, 2003, 01:03 AM: Message edited by: bill addiss ]

 

[txsparky]

Re: ** Experts anxious over possible Web attack **

Yessiree, that thars the one!

 

[bill addiss]

Re: ** Experts anxious over possible Web attack **

Some updated info on this:

AN internet-borne infection incapacitated tens of thousands of computers today, snarling company networks and frustrating home users as it spread across the globe.

Security officials said the virus-like worm, dubbed "LovSan", was part of a coordinated electronic attack that exploited one of the most serious flaws yet discovered in Microsoft Corp's Windows operating systems.
....
In Sweden, internet provider TeliaSonera said about 20,000 of its customers were affected after the infection clogged 40 servers that handled internet traffic.
....
Computers infected by LovSan were programmed to automatically launch an attack Saturday on windowsupdate.com, a web site Microsoft uses to avail customers of software patches that can prevent such infections.

above from >> Virus hits Asia, Europe networks

Also at: Virus Infection Spreads in Asia, Europe (ABC News)

Get the Patch if you haven't gotten it already.

Bill

 

[bill addiss]

Re: ** Experts anxious over possible Web attack **

FYI:
Here's more from CNN today:

About 188,000 individual computers were infected worldwide as of Tuesday evening, said Alfred Huger, senior director of engineering for security response at Symantec, maker of the popular Norton AntiVirus program.

"Those infected computers are now scanning other machines around the world," Huger said.

This worm, however, is slower than others because its code was poorly written, he said.

"We're seeing a 35 to 40 percent decrease in new activity, but we think this is more due to the fact that it's poorly written. We don't believe it's coming close to exhausting its targets," Huger said.

Computer security experts fear other hackers will improve upon the current worm's code, unleashing an even more disruptive worm.
...
Dubbed "LoveSAN" or "MSBlaster," the worm does not use e-mail to send itself. Rather it is considered self-propagating, meaning that it independently searches for unprotected computers to infect.
...
Some tech analysts worry, however, that if "MSBlaster" is able to find enough vulnerable computers, its spread could slow the performance of the Internet by bogging it down.

above from CNN Report >> Internet worm spreading rapidly

Bill

[ August 13, 2003, 11:42 AM: Message edited by: bill addiss ]