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By James Pearce
Posted on ZDNet News: Feb 26, 2004 4:06:00 PM

Despite requiring the computer user to actively run an attachment, Netsky.C seems to be spreading fast, with anti-virus vendor Central Command claiming it had discovered 1,500 infections of the virus within 40 minutes of its discovery. Like Netsky.B the latest virus uses its own SMTP engine to e-mail itself to addresses found on the computer, and copies itself into any folder it finds whose name includes "shar".


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MyDoom.f
Netsky.c
Prevention and Cure

UK security company mi2g estimated the economic damage done by Netsky.B worldwide to be at least US$3.12 billion. This was calculated "on the basis of helpdesk support costs, overtime payments, contingency outsourcing, loss of business, bandwidth clogging, productivity erosion, management time reallocation, cost of recovery, and software upgrades".

MyDoom.F is the latest variant of the virus that launched a distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack against the SCO Web site early this month. The latest variant launches a DDoS attack against both www.microsoft.com and www.riaa.com if the infected computer's local system is dated between 17 and 22 of any month. The virus also opens a backdoor which will allow crackers to gain access to the computer.

"We firmly believe denial of service attacks that produce wave after wave of downed Web sites and infected emails are the new reality in the fight against spam, viruses and worms," said Scott Chasin, e-mail management company MX Logic's chief technology officer. "Just consider the number of broadband PCs, sitting on desks, without updated defenses and with 'always on' broadband connections - and you immediately understand the opportunity for these assaults."

MyDoom.F also randomly deletes files on the infected computer, a feature that has started to die out from viruses.

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  • Most Recent of 98 Talkback(s)
Too much drama too little reason
Well, MS HAS to eventually generate truly secure products or it is just a matter of time before it disappears in the small niche for the 'I love my Barbie OS' crowd.

The think is that it will t... (Read the rest)
Posted by: michael-t Posted on: 03/02/04 You are currently: a Guest | | Terms of Use
I'm sure Microsoft cares deeply..  Bobby Sskcat | 02/26/04
Yeah, sure...  jrbeaman | 02/27/04
Action needed  Ardian Daka | 02/26/04
Somehow Make Viruses Obsolete  ParadigmOdyssey | 02/26/04
DO NOT GET IT  Solid Water | 02/26/04
You should get it  Ardian Daka | 02/26/04
As For The Differences in Oses  ParadigmOdyssey | 02/26/04
You're absolutely right  Ardian Daka | 02/26/04
Speak For Yourself  nikoli | 02/26/04
Ads do get installed.  Anton Philidor | 02/26/04
Cookies, maybe...  nikoli | 02/26/04
personal privacy can be completely managed...  JoeMama_z | 02/26/04
You Know What Strange About this  ParadigmOdyssey | 02/26/04
Windows isn't spyware?  Taz_z | 02/26/04
STILL DO NOT GET IT  Solid Water | 02/26/04
You SHOULD CARE.  jrbeaman | 02/27/04
Great idea!  Cardinal_Bill | 02/26/04
ACTION NOT NEEDED, EDUCATING HOME USERS NEEDED!  DragonBRockin | 02/26/04
VERY VERY True  Valis Keogh | 02/26/04
Lotsa luck  Chad_z | 02/26/04
Agreed, And I Think You Could  nikoli | 02/26/04
Its SAD  doe_z | 02/26/04
Exactly...  nikoli | 02/26/04
Comments on Mac and Linux.  doe_z | 02/26/04
There is a reason for the MAC user being better with computers  voska | 02/26/04
Perfect Explaination  nikoli | 02/26/04
you have proved a valid point!  stephen732@... | 02/26/04
Puma  nikoli | 02/26/04
Problem is that often it's not accidental  voska | 02/26/04
A correction to your example....  MkIIISupra | 02/27/04
Right !  Ardian Daka | 02/26/04
Clarification  Ardian Daka | 02/26/04
educating them to buy a mac you mean  hipparchus | 02/26/04
re: educating them to buy a mac you mean  stephen732@... | 02/26/04
Action Indeed  rlodge@... | 02/26/04
Re: Action Needed  middle of nowhere | 02/26/04
and no liabilities for m$? (nt)  stephen732@... | 02/26/04
Wow, How Retarded Is That  nikoli | 02/26/04
NO NO NO!!  doe_z | 02/26/04
That's a possibility too  Ardian Daka | 02/26/04
Agree on that part...  doe_z | 02/26/04
wrong it's not the user stupid  hipparchus | 02/26/04
Bandwidth Limitations  voska | 02/26/04
more action needed  stephen732@... | 02/26/04
Billions lost? Based on what?  issthatso | 02/26/04
That was my reaction too  jfrankcarr | 02/26/04
Based on a lot of guessing  bit_rot | 02/26/04
Where was the money going to to begin with  Domb2 | 02/26/04
mom and pop store down the street  V Sanders | 02/26/04
We have more than one negative MS article per day. They keep commin'.  DonnieBoy | 02/26/04
Two big problems in transitioning I see  jfrankcarr | 02/26/04
Transistion cost are a one time cost. MS costs are never ending.  DonnieBoy | 02/26/04
Excellent points  Chad_z | 02/26/04
SOME LINUX COMPANIES CHARGE YOU A YEARLY FEE  V Sanders | 02/26/04
Support always costs a LOT  doe_z | 02/26/04
IT team is support  voska | 02/26/04
If you're going to be stupid  Chad_z | 02/26/04
you left two things out  JoeMama_z | 02/26/04
Accounting is a concern  jfrankcarr | 02/26/04
are you sure no accounting packages on linux?  hipparchus | 02/26/04
re: Transistion  cookingwithcat | 02/26/04
transitioning  B_HI | 02/26/04
If OS X could work  nikoli | 02/26/04
Me Too!  Chad_z | 02/26/04
Wonder Why Apple  nikoli | 02/26/04
Here is Why Apple.....  middle of nowhere | 02/26/04
Builds up the drama, though.  Anton Philidor | 02/26/04
Too much drama too little reason  michael-t | 03/02/04
Why would anyone use an MS system as a web server?  jrbeaman | 02/27/04
Here's the cure  Nullifidian | 02/26/04
The cure?-fire the morons who open attachements!!  jbachandouris@... | 02/26/04
WHAT?!?!  Nullifidian | 02/26/04
too much time on your hands - fire idiots buying lousy software  hipparchus | 02/26/04
What a Load of Dung that was  nikoli | 02/26/04
Put that in your TCO calculation  Chad_z | 02/26/04
oh please  V Sanders | 02/26/04
aids virus cost billions  V Sanders | 02/26/04
Honestly, I've Never Read A Dumber Post  nikoli | 02/26/04
MS has enabled any idiot to be a computer Professional...  jrbeaman | 02/27/04
And That Had What To Do With What Again ???  nikoli | 02/27/04
Im sorry what exactly does this virus have to do with MS?  JoeMama_z | 02/26/04
so you have no people on your network?  hipparchus | 02/26/04
It doesn't bother my MAC even if I try to run it  hoople | 02/27/04
I Would Say No  nikoli | 02/27/04
Just wondering  Louisiana oilman | 02/26/04
Indeed  cookingwithcat | 02/26/04
The real solution.........  nite_w0lf | 02/26/04
And If Linux was on 90% of desktop  John Zern | 02/26/04
Yeah, yeah, yeah...  astef69 | 02/27/04
Market share does not equal virus writers  openMind | 02/27/04
Well, Which Is It Then ???  nikoli | 02/27/04
And That Had What To Do With What Again ???  nikoli | 02/27/04
Damn It  nikoli | 02/27/04
You condone it  FilledOut | 02/27/04
What about the cost to businesses of applying the zillions of MS fixes ???  Plain Logic | 02/28/04
he cost to businesses of applying the zillions of MS fixes  B_HI | 02/29/04
We need a software hero  BXLE | 02/28/04
You see MS makes necessary  michael-t | 03/02/04

What do you think?