Virus shuts down customs computer system (at 7 airports)

[rainbow4321]

http://customwire.ap.org/dynamic/stories/C/CUSTOMS_COMPUTERS_DOWN?SITE=TXSAE&SECTION=US&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2005-08-19-06-39-55


Travelers arriving in the United States from abroad were stuck in long lines at airports nationwide when a virus shut down a U.S. Customs computer system for several hours, officials said.

Homeland Security spokesman Russ Knocke said the virus impacted computer systems at a number of airports Thursday night, including those in New York, San Francisco, Miami, Los Angeles, Houston, Dallas and Laredo, Texas.

Knocke said customs agents immediately switched to manual inspections. He declined to provide details on where the computer virus originated.

The computer problem originated in database systems located in Virginia and lasted from around 6 p.m. until about 11:30 p.m., said Zachary Mann, spokesman for U.S. Customs and Border Protection in southern Florida.

[Name removed]

1. Deleted message

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[electron_blue]

2. what kind of glitch affects computers world-wide and is not a virus?

Just trying to educate myself.

[GregW]

6. Viruses, worms, trojans ...

Click here for a description

[electron_blue]

7. thanks!

That's a helpful link. I guess I thought of worms & Trojans as viruses, which seems to be incorrect.

[FormerOstrich]

10. It does sound like they

are reporting this as a virus. However, a glitch could possibly have wide spread effect on systems. For instance, an industry may have industry-specific software. Since most companies buy packaged software there may be one vendor's software running on hundreds or thousands of companies. A glitch in that software could impact all of them (depending on what it was and how it was introduced).

For instance, if Quick Books were to distribute a glitch which did not become apparent until after the software had been deployed computers world wide would be impacted yet it wouldn't necessarily be a virus (worm/torjan).

Actually, since this seems to have only hit a very specific segment (e.g. airports), I wonder if it wasn't a glitch and someone is passing the buck by saying virus.

[Gman]

3. Laredo?

Did somebody shoot the oomputer?

[bicentennial_baby]

4. Customs was a joy at JFK last night, compared to immigration

Let's just say that when you have full flights from Paris, Port-au-Prince, Cancun, the Dominican Republic, and Seattle all arriving simultaneously, you should have more than 2 guys working the US passorts line at JFK, especially in a room with no vevntilation at 8 pm at night...grrrr :mad:

but Customs, they just took my plethora of forms and waved me through! w00t! :bounce:

[havocmom]

5. This has been a test. Had this been an actual emergency...

Was sorta worried about this happening when Leslie Blitzer was breathless over the CNN computers re-booting in cycle the other day. 'hmmm, what other systems will get zapped next? prolly some involved with air travel security...'

[donsu]

8. the CNN, ABC, Caterpiller, etc. worm and this new virous are

planned attacks in my opinion.

(I've often wondered why p.c. gurus haven't helped to get our country out of the clutches of the criminal bushgang? or maybe they have and I've not heard about it?)

[havocmom]

9. Noticed that FAUX didn't get 'wormed' did ya?

'Good' media companies don't have much trouble.

And The folks at CNN were sure mighty jumpy the next day. Cooper was poopin his pants to be 'fair and balanced' jis like FAUX.

[malachi]

11. This is how terrorists can make a real impact on this country.

Buildings and people being blow to bits, they're replaceable, but people will go ballistic if inconvenienced.