• Investment World
• eWorld
• Catalyst
• Mentor
• Life
• Canvas
• Praxis
• Urban Pulse
• Brand Quest

Our Bureau

Hyderabad , Sept. 8

TREND Micro, a global security solutions provider, has detected a new variant of the so-called Microsoft Blaster worm, WORM_MSBLAST.D, which attempts to delete the original worm

(WORM_MSBLASTA, a/k/a Blaster, Lovesan) from some infected systems and installs Microsoft patches designed to repair the vulnerability that enabled it to spread.

This disguises itself as a fix for WORM_BLASTER.A, and although it is able to delete the MSBLAST.EXE file, it also scans for un-patched system and downloads itself to them, which would result to network traffic. Although its intention is good, users would not allow any code to be executed in their system without their knowing, according to Trend Micro.

Mr David Perry, Global Director of Education for Cupertino-based anti-virus software maker Trend Micro, in a statement said, "The fact is, this thing will install stuff on your computer without your permission. You don't know if these are competent programmes, and the fact is that more damage has been done to computers systems through viruses that were otherwise benign that messed something else up because they were poorly written."

Analysis shows this worm is able to delete the MSBLAST.EXE file delivered on Windows 2000 and Windows XP systems, and download patches intended to repair the buffer overflow exploit. Buried within the code of the new worm is the message: "I love my wife and Baby, Welcome Chain, Notice: 2004, Will remove myself and Sorry."

Security experts have kicked off a debate on the merits of using `good worms' to fight virulent worms and viruses since the early 1990s, particularly in situations when a fast-spreading infection might endanger critical information systems or cause widespread damage.

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication

Stories in this Section
Color Chips plans pref issue

Copyright © 2003, The Hindu Business Line. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu Business Line