New Internet worm affects Windows users

[RedEarth]

A new Internet virus has been detected that can infect Microsoft's Windows platforms faster than previous computer worms, said an anti-virus computer software maker.

The ZOTOB virus appeared shortly after the world's largest software maker warned of three newly found "critical" security flaws in its software, including one that could allow attackers to take complete control of a computer.

The latest worm exploits security holes in Microsoft's Windows 95, 98, ME, NE, 2000 and XP platforms and can give computer attackers remote access to affected systems, said Trend Micro Inc..

"Hundreds of infection reports were sighted in the United States and Germany," Tokyo-based Trend Micro said in a statement released late last week.

"Since most users may not be aware of this newly announced security hole so as to install the necessary patch during last weekend, we can foresee more infections from WORM_ZOTOB," it said.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/singapore_virus_dc;_ylt=Av_u9ow1jHJXNrmdufIgSUWs0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA3ODdxdHBhBHNlYwM5NjQ-

[Tesha]

1. Another day, another Microsoft infection.

As surely as the sun rises...

[benburch]

2. Get a MAC or LINUX

You will notice the dearth of worms and viruses on those systems.

[ret5hd]

4. hey benburch...check your pm's.

[Kelvin Mace]

5. The day I can find a replacement for PageMaker

on the Linux side, MS is history.

[benburch]

6. You can most likely run Pagemaker on Linux.

You need a package called WINE, and you can run Windows applications.

[Kelvin Mace]

41. I'v heard that

and I have to set aside some time to check it out. :)

[fshrink]

44. There's nothing

I would like best! But I can't spend hours with .tars, looking for help files on how to install programs under Linux and in decompiling stuff and so forth... I know, that's the price to pay... and I'm probably not competent enough.

[alfredo]

28. Try Scribus

http://www.scribus.org.uk/

I have used it in Linux and OSX. I like it.

I also like inkscape for SVG work.

http://www.inkscape.org/

Both work in OSX.

[Kelvin Mace]

42. Thanks for the suggestion!

[alfredo]

43. You're welcomed.

[northzax]

7. gee, think that could be

because no one uses them? what's the point of spending your time creating a malicious virus only to have it released on 5% of the world's computers?

It's be like creating an autoparts scam but only targeting Pugeots, what's the point?

[benburch]

10. Nope!

Almost half of the servers on the Internet run Linux, BSD, or Unix... A big juicy target.

And nobody has figured out how to attack it.

And 35% of all machines on the internet are Macs if you go by statistics gathered by various web serving organizations.

Hardly nobody.

As a security software engineering professional, I guarantee to you that neither Linux noe MacOS X is as simple to attack as Microsoft's crap. Nor do vulnerabilities remain un-addressed for more than a day or so when they are found. Microsoft sits on stuff for months because they have such messy code in their system that they find the holes difficult to fix.

[northzax]

16. people don't want to attack individuals

they want to take down companies. and companies, by and large, use windows machines, that's what gets attention. Plus, Mac or Linux users, in general, tend to be more savvy users (Mac because they paid a premium for the machines and Linux simply because it's more esoteric) which reduces the stupid factor by a whole big bunch.

Let's face it, most worms, viruses and trojans are spread by human error and are easily preventable, but most people don't know enough. I'd wager that Mac and Linux/Unix users are less likely to engage in stupid virus spreading behaviours. All of this reduces the attractiveness of the market for virus writers.

[benburch]

29. Well, I have to disagree.

My years of experience lead me to different answers.

[jayfish]

33. There Have Been Plenty Of Exploits For MAC and Linux

http://www.google.com/search?q=os+x+exploits&hl=en&lr=&safe=off&start=20&sa=N
http://www.insecure.org/sploits_linux.html

The small installed base of OSX and linux is precisely why there have not been more. Given enough time, any system can be compromised. Cisco routers have a security flaw that I don't think has been addressed as of yet. Would you recommend that everyone drop Cisco? Also this whole idea that you don't have to patch OSX or Linux is bull. Updated packages are released constantly for all flavors of Linux. If you don't like Windows, great, but the OS zealotry has got to stop. Buy what gets the job done for you and move on.

Jay

[0rganism]

50. Very true -- since the early days, there have been cracks & exploits

I remember well the time of SATAN, before Windows95 was even on the market, when everyone was terrified that it would mean the end of networked computing as we know it. Well, of course, it wasn't. In the long run, SATAN ended up being the excellent system diagnosis tool that it was purported to be as it was distributed, and the more responsible companies anted up with fixes either pro-actively or in quick response. Every sysadmin worth a pint of oxygen went straight to an ftp server to download SATAN, ran it on the important systems overnight, and patched the outstanding holes ASAP.

And before SATAN was "cops", a util to run on your SunOS server that would blandly poke around your configuration and tell you which CERT advisories you were ignoring. This was de rigeur, a standard part of doing a kernel build and maintaining the distribution on site.

UNIX boxen require care and feeding too. Anyone who forgets this shouldn't be allowed near a root prompt.

[Betty]

11. Well, I love my Mac

I don't care if no one else uses them.

[nookiemonster]

40. It's not the point that I don't like them,

but isn't software a bitch to find? Or has that changed?

[MeDeMax]

13. if that is what you believe

each to his own.

Mac & Linux is inherently more safer, whether or not you choose to understand the underlying reasons.

Like I said, each to his own.

Peace brother.

[short bus president]

12. yeah - or patch yer windows system.

It's not that hard. Windows can even do it automagically. I'm not saying it's a perfect solution, but if you already have a windows install you can work with, patching makes infinitely more sense than trying to replace it with a free linux, or trashing it in favor of an overpriced Mac.

[benburch]

14. Sadly, that doesn't help much.

There are SO many holes in windows that go unfixed by Microsoft for months and months after they are reported. And when they fix one hole, there is always another for the criminals to use.

Quite simply, Windows is really badly designed and executed.

[deacon2]

45. There it is: "Windows is really badly designed and executed."

I own both Mac and Wintel machines. The Macs because they are simple, elegant and intuitive. The Wintels because I have to. Guess which ones I constantly finesse and finagle just to keep them running??? Or even replace, because some 17 year old evil genius with a tongue stud wrote a virus to peel sectors off their harddrive? And yes, the Macs are way more expensive upfront. After that, however, I don't spend much time (= money) on maintenance for them. That's called efficiency, and that means cash to me - hey, I'm a poet and I didn't know it!

[slackmaster]

55. Have you noticed how 99% of those holes get reported?

Microsoft itself discovers, documents, and reports its own bugs. They've been going through some tedious code audits for several years now.

Quite simply, Windows is really badly designed and executed.

An overly broad and not well informed opinion. The consumer versions of Windows are certainly less robust than the server flavors. I have been using the latter professionally for over 10 years. Windows 2000 Server is quite stable and reliable.

[Demit]

17. Yeah--spending all your time "patching" something makes more sense

than buying something that doesn't need it. Look at all that money you saved!

[slackmaster]

53. Windows patching can be completely automated

If you configure Windows Update to automatically download and install patches, your effort drops to near zero.

If you have a need to make sure data is backed up or that software gets tested to ensure compatibility with updates, less automatic configurations are available.

...than buying something that doesn't need it. Look at all that money you saved!

What a crock. All operating systems get patched and updated, except obsolete ones like CP/M and ones that are no longer supported by their manufacturers.

[high density]

31. Or buy a $50 firewall/SoHo router

My el-cheapo Linksys BEFSX41 does a good job at filtering out all of the crap that is trying to get at my computers.

As for Linux, I think that OS is more dangerous than Windows in the hands of people that don't know what they're doing.

[mccoyn]

36. Or a free software firewall.

Windows XP has a built in firewall and in SP2 it actually tells you to turn it one. If you don't have XP or don't trust MS enough you can get a free one from Zone Alarm or probally many others. Then there are software firewalls you can pay for and of course the hardware firewalls in all routers that can prevent all external attacks on your computer.

[slackmaster]

39. Over 10 years experience as a Windows system administrator here

I've personally been hit by a computer virus only once.

Back in 1995 when I was working for Andersen Consulting, moments after I put a suspect floppy disk into my workstation and Norton Anti-Virus determined that it was contaminated with a virus, the power went out in our building. I had to run downstairs to tend to some machines that needed to be shut down manually.

The power went back on suddenly. My workstation booted from the infected floppy. When I realized what had happened, I powered the machine down, replaced the bad floppy with my magic boot-sector virus fixer and booted it off that. That disk ran two DOS commands that effectively eliminated all boot-sector viruses.

In all the years I have had machines connected to the Internet I have never had a problem with any kind of trojan, worm, virus, etc. Protecting yourself from them is very easy.

[Paradise]

3. thanks. n/t

[hobbit709]

8. Why I like my security setup

nothing gets in our out unless I let it. I have to disable half my security so that MacAfee or Symantec can even run a security test.

[benburch]

15. If you had Linux or MacOS X...

You'd not even have to bother.

[hobbit709]

18. Hate Macs-too expensive

Have 5 computers
1. Runs Win98
2&3 Run Win2000
4. Runs Ubuntu Linux
5. Runs SuSe 9.2
I fix computers so I have to have the systems that my customers use.

[onehandle]

20. The argument from ten years ago. Now a lie.

It's not 1995 anymore.

Macs come loaded. PCs come stripped.

http://www.linuxinsider.com/story/36120.html

http://www.oreillynet.com/pub/wlg/4895

And beyond these facts is the cost/worry of viruses, spyware, and worms.

That would be $0.

[hobbit709]

21. And Mac OS's

and software are up/down compatible with older systems?
Occasionally as a lark I run DOS on my 2.4 GHz Athlon system. I still use Win3.1 applications on Win2000. Try running anything from OS7 on OSX

[benburch]

23. I have software from MacOS 1.0 that I still can run.

Some stuff does not work, true, especially a few games that depended on particular hardware, especially 4-bit color. But I run those in the Basilisk II 68K emulator under the OS version they need, and all is well.

[slackmaster]

46. Is there software that will read a MacDraw 1.0 file?

I made a cool Mr. Potatohead back in 1987 and can't find anything that will run it.

[benburch]

22. And Macs have a longer lifetime.

Macs get replaced by their owners after almost double the number of years of use, compared to Windows PCs.

[onehandle]

9. Oh, No!

Whatever shall I do?

[wakeme2008]

19. I feel left out.... what no worm that attacks Apples....

:)

Plus I use Firefox... :)

[benburch]

24. Safari is a great choice, too.

I still like it better than Firefox.

[jsamuel]

25. HERE IS THE FIX!!!

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/MS05-039.mspx

[Straight Shooter]

26. Thanks, jsamuel. BTW, I'm STUCK with Windows.

Stenograph creates court reporting software in Windows only. All my court reporting clients use the Stenograph software. The day they come out with Mac compatible, I'm dumping this system. (If it doesn't dump me first, ehhh.)

[Trillo]

47. Some contradictory information there....

"Non-Affected Software:
•

Microsoft Windows 98, Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition (SE), and Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition (ME)"

According to Trend Micro, Both zotob.a and zotob.b infect Win98 and ME.

I'm tired of all the bunk info being propagated, does anyone have a fix for that?

[slackmaster]

56. Makes perfect sense to me that the '98' flavors are not affected

The '98' versions of Windows and all earlier Microsoft desktop systems have absolutely no security. No logon, no credentials, etc., therefore they are fundamentally incapable of having exploitable security flaws.

[Mister Mark]

27. switching isn't easy for most

I've bought and returned 2 Macs after buying into the "Macs are so wonderful" cult. It was just too much of a pain to deal with learning how to use the Mac OS.

I'll deal with the the occasional worms and viruses. The vast majority of the world uses Windows so I've got plenty of company, plus if you're responsible while online (using a firewall, virus software, etc.), the chances of being infected are slim.

[reprobate]

30. I have a windows XP system. Hasn't been powered up in months.

It just sits in the closet. At least it can't get into trouble there.

There certainly is a reason the vast majority of users who switch to Mac don't go back to windows.

No virus worries.

No spyware worries.

No malware worries.

And the biggest advantage: It Just Works.

[benburch]

32. You could always donate it to White Rose!

I can always use another Linux box for recording radio shows!

:evilgrin:

[reprobate]

48. Ben, you gave me an idea. I'd been noodling trying Linux.

Any suggestions on which distrobution to use for a first timer?

Not that I'm at all disatisfied with OS X. But I'd like to try linux to see what all the talk is about.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

51. Knoppix

http://www.knopper.net/knoppix-info/index-en.html

[reprobate]

57. Sounds reasonable for a first dabble. Thanks.

[Akoto]

34. Not to sound like too much of a tinfoil hat, but ...

Has anyone noticed that there have been more patch-required "crisis" problems since Microsoft's new scanning procedures went into place?

For the unaware, I'd read a while back that you now open your computer to probing from Microsoft whenever you go to their website, so that they can scan for pirated files.

[mccoyn]

37. I hadn't heard about a scanning procedure.

Do you have any more information about this? Its very important to me since I access their site almost daily at my job.

[anotherdrew]

54. info

no the new scan is just to check that you have a non-pirated serial number ID for your windows, to make sure t's not 'an illegal copy'

[apnu]

35. This does not affect all windows users, see secruity focus link here

http://www.securityfocus.com/news/11281

"Zotob is not going to become another Sasser," F-Secure's researchers said on the virus lab's blog. The worm does not infect computers running Windows XP Service Pack 2 nor Windows 2003, as those systems are somewhat protected against the Windows Plug-and-Play vulnerability. Machines that block port 445 using a firewall will also not be vulnerable, the company said. "As a result, the majority of Windows boxes on the Net won't be hit by (the worm)," the blog stated.

[carlvs]

38. For Shame!

Letting Windows users know that if they're already following standard security protocols, they will not get hit by this (or most other) worms?!?:spray:

You're spoiling the Mac and Linux users fun...:evilgrin:

[reprobate]

49. Nope. Nothing can spoil our fun. We just sit here, fat, dumb and happy.

What? Me worry? No, not hardly.


But I do have to wonder just what kind of personality can be screwed over so often by Microshaft, and still defend them. Talk about cognitive dissonance.

[robcon]

52. McAfee reports that Zotob is a low risk virus

My anti-virus software was updated today when I turned my computer on.

edit:spell