Archive for January 21st, 2009
A nasty bit of malware, which exploits a Windows security flaw that Microsoft issued a patch for in October, 2008, has started spreading again. The latest mutation of the Downadup botnet worm (also known as Kido and Conficker) bypasses Microsoft’s patch by spreading through infected removable media (flash drives, portable hard drives, CDs and DVDs) rather than attacking through external network ports.
Roel Schouwenberg, senior researcher at Kaspersky Lab, is quoted on eWeek.com: "During 2008 we've seen a huge uprise in the amount of malware that was replicated via Windows' AutoRun functionality…and they are successful in getting onto networks from the inside. So what I think is likely happening is that infected USB sticks are being brought into corporate networks, infecting one workstation, [from] which in turn [the malware] starts to spread across the LAN."
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As new variants of this worm are identified, Microsoft updates its Malicious Software Removal Tool. The lastest update was provided in January.
It’s a dangerous world. Be careful out there.
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